Adopted Daughter
by BellatrixTonks67
Summary: Severus Snape never exactly liked children, but how could he turn away such a small child- no matter the fact that her parents were some of the worst death eaters to walk the Earth. But does he regret his decision as his little girl grows? R&R Please!
1. Adopted Daughter

**Hey readers! Welcome to another story! I hope you all enjoy!**

Chapter 1: Adopted Daughter

She knew she was taking a huge risk by sneaking into the castle, but she had to. She had to make sure her baby girl would be safe. The Auror's had already captured her husband, it was only a matter of time before they found her as well. Pulling her hood over her head and clutching her new born child to her chest, she swiftly made her way down towards the dungeons.

Severus Snape had just changed into his night clothes and was about to pour himself a night cup of brandy when he heard the slight tapping at his door. At first he thought it was a few students playing a joke, but when it continued, he decided to answer it, and then give the brats responsible detention for the rest of their educational career. Opening the door; however, he did not find a student out past curfew.

"Bellatrix Lestrange. What an honor, really." His voice was a snarl.

She quickly pushed past him, heading over to the roaring fire nearby. "It's okay little one, we'll get you warm." Bellatrix sat herself down in front of the fire, moving the blanket bundled around her baby, just enough so the infants head was peaking out.

Severus was rather shocked at the moment, however being practiced at concealing his emotions he simply asked the woman a question.

"Do you want explain to me why you are cuddling an infant in the middle of my sitting room?"

Bella looked up at tall Head of Slytherin House. Fear filled her eyes though her face remained fixed with a smirk. "They are looking for me. I had to keep her safe."

"They? I am assuming you mean the Aurors?" Severus smirked, debating calling the Aurors on her himself.

She nodded. "They have already captured Rodulphus, they will find me soon enough. Severus' I need you to care of my baby." Her eyes looked deep into his.

"Excuse me." Severus found himself shocked, once again.

"I need you to take her Severus. Raise her as your own."

Severus crossed his arms and glared down at the sadistic, bigoted, blood-purity obsessed woman. "No."

"Severus please."

"Give her to your sister."

"I can't"

"Why?" The words flew out of their mouths the fastest either of them had ever heard anyone speak.

"She does not even know I was pregnant, no one does, not-not even my husband." She said the last three words so quietly Severus almost didn't hear them.

"That makes no sense Bellatrix. Why would you not inform your own husband you were with child?"

Bellatrix looked down at the tiny baby in her arms, smiling at her innocence. "He never wanted a child, let alone a daughter." She admitted looking back up at Severus.

"Oh? Then how come you have one?"

She once again looked down at her baby who continued to nurse from her mother. "He was drunk, and I do not even know if he recalled that night we spent together. It happened a few months before Our Lord vanished. Rodolphus has been out of the country a lot this past year, so it wasn't difficult to hide it from him."

"Bellatrix, I cannot take her. I-

"Her eyes like mine, dark- not even a color, and she has my black curly hair, but other than that she looks very much like Rodulphus."

"Bellatrix." He said softly. "I am not fit to raise a child."

Bellatrix laughed. "Who is? Please Severus, raise her as your own. It is better if she grows not knowing who her true parents are".

"I-I can't."

"Severus please. I do not wish her to be raised as an orphan. I do not wish for her to grow up unloved, thinking her parents abandoned her. Our Lord grew up like that, and…I do not wish it for my daughter."

Severus took a long deep breath and peered down at the baby who had fallen asleep at her mother's breast. "Okay. I will take her."

"Thank you." Bellatrix rose from the floor and delicately handed the baby for her new father. Severus very carefully took the child into his arms.

"She is three days old." She told him as she buttoned up her shirt and robe. "I have not named her. I will allow you to do that."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I do not wish to become more attached to her then I already am." She looked once more down at her daughter and kissed her sweetly on the forehead. "I love you little one." She then pulled a letter from her pocket and handed it to Severus. "When she is old enough, give her this".

Severus nodded and took the letter. "Take care of her Severus."

"You have my word."

Wiping a tear that had fallen to her cheek Bellatrix once again kissed her baby. She then looked up at the man her baby would grow to call father. "Thank you." Severus nodded, and Bella left.

"So you know." He said, looking down at the still sleeping infant. "I'm only doing this so you don't turn out like your sadistic mother."

**Please review!**


	2. Chelsea Lily Snape

**Hey guys- I forgot to credit 8thWeasleykid in chapter 1- the first 3 chaps of the story are basically her writing that she gave me with a bunch of adjustments from me. Sry I was so excited with getting the first chapter up I forgot to credit her!**

Chapter 2: Chelsea Lily Snape

As the years past Severus truly grew to love his little angel. No one knew of her true parentage, simply that the mother dropped her off on Severus stating that she was not fit to raise her. Chelsea Lily Snape was the pride and joy of her father's life. Even after the most stressful day, he would be able to come home and smile, because his angel was there to greet him with a hug.

His daughter was a beautiful little girl, with dark and long black hair, and Severus received complements from friends and strangers alike. She was also a very bright child, but with her mother being who she was, well Bellatrix was sadistic and cruel, but smart enough to figure out how to get exactly what she wanted.

By the time she was three Severus was positive she would be sorted into Slytherin. Little Chelsea quickly learned how cute others perceived her and used it to her advantage.

"Peas ampa Abus. Peas can I ave aother leeymon droop?"

Looking into those bright eyes and grin, Albus Dumbledore couldn't refuse little Chelsea, and she soon left the headmasters office with an entire bag of lemon drops.

One night, very late in fact, ten year old Chelsea was supposed to be asleep, but found herself restless. Her father had not gotten back from the start of term feast, and as much as she hated to admit it, he was the only one who could get her to sleep when she got like this. Pulling a book from the bookshelves she headed into their sitting room and laid on the couch. She placed her long black hair over her right shoulder and then opened the book. She had gotten though a single chapter when the portrait door burst open, causing Chelsea to jump.

Sitting herself up, she looked toward the door, her father was fuming and held the scowl on his face he got when greatly displeased, like when she stole a broom from the shed for the first years when she was six. At least it made her father teach her how to fly. "Daddy, are you okay?"

Snape's angered expression instantly calmed at his daughter voice. "Lily," It was her middle name that only her father ever called her by. "What are you doing up."

"I couldn't sleep." The young girl put down her book and headed over to her father.

"Why are you mad?" She said wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Potter!" He sneered and the scowled returned.

"Who?" Chelsea didn't look at her father, only hugged him tighter.

"Harry Potter started tonight."

Chelsea released her embrace and looked into her father eyes with concern. "What did he do?"

"Nothing. He's just here." Snape then marched towards his bedroom, Chelsea followed.

"What do you mean?" Chelsea leaned agaisnt the door frame watching her father.

"I mean, he's here and I am going to be forced to deal with the brat for seven years." He continued to complain as he headed over to his dresser and pulled out his night clothes.

"But you don't even know him." Chelsea laughed and sat on his bed.

"Yes I do. I know his father, so I know him." Her father tried to make it seem so obvious.

"Daddy, really." Chelsea huffed placing her hands on her hip. "You can't possibly judge him before you get to know him. That's unfair."

"You know, you look just like grandma Minnie when you give me looks lke that." Severus teased his daughter.

Chelsea instantly dropped her hands. She loved her grandma Minnie, but she did not like being compared to her stern professor look.

"Go get in bed, and I will be there in a minute, okay."

Chelsea nodded, then rolling her eyes when her back was turned. "I saw that." Severus said. It always drove her crazy that her father could do that. He always knew when she was making faces at him, or trying to hide something from him. It was like he had eyes in the back of his head.

Five minutes later Severus headed into his daughters room where he found her in bed reading. "Nose always in a book." He joked sitting down besides her.

She just laughed. "I get it from you."

Severus grinned as he picked up his daughter and cradling her in his lap.

"Daddy, did Draco go to Slytherin?" She asked then closing her eyes.

"Yes, he did." Severus answered. "He told me to tell you that he expects to see you there next year."

Chelsea gave a small smile and Severus began to sing her to sleep

_The little stars that shine so bright are angels come to say good night: "Good night, Sleep tight, Sweetest dreams we'll send to you tonight. So, if you peek outside and spy a wee star twinkling  
In the sky; It may, It might, be an angel come to say good night. _

Although Chelsea was ten and may have been thought by many to be to too old to be rocked and sung to sleep by her daddy, he Severus knew that as she grew he would have less and less times such as these, so as long as she allowed it, he would continued to sing his baby girl to sleep.

"You know daddy, you have a terrible voice." Chelsea yawned and curled into her blankets as she spoke.

"I should know that by now Lily, you remind me every night." Severus Snape laughed as

The year went by quickly and ended in a rather dramatic fashion. "Stupid Brats." Severus huffed as he entered his quarters, his daughter sitting at the kitchen table working on her muggle math that Chairty had given her. "Oh let's see what's down the trap door shall we. It will be a lark to take on a teacher possessed by a dark wizard." He said sarcastically.

"What are you talking about?" Over the year, his little girl had become much more like a young women and her voice showed it.

"Potter and his band pf nit wits went after Quirrel, who was possessed by…um, never mind". Severus then passed by his daughter without another word.

"I hate it when you do that." She said following him into the sitting room.

"Do what?" He asked going over to his liquor cabinet and pulling out a bottle of fire whiskey.

"Start to tell me something and then decide I'm not old enough for you to finish the conversation." She put her hands on her hips and stared at her father.

"You're not old enough." He said, taking a swing from the bottle.

"Come on daddy." She said sitting down next to him. "You tell me everything, you might as well just spill it."

"I do not tell you everything, Lily." Like did he ever tell her about her namesake? No.

"You told me you were so drunk last New Years that you ended up snogging Professor Trewlany in the astronomy tower."

Severus looked down at his daughter in complete shock. "I never told you that."

"Oh whoops." Chelsea tried to give an innocent smile.

"How did you hear about that?" He looked at his daughter, the shock not leaving his face.

"Draco heard you telling Uncle Lucius and he told me, but I still found out!" Chelsea was back to begging for information.

"That doesn't mean you should have." Severus took another swing of his whiskey before his daughter pulled it out of his hands and threw it into the fire.

"Chelsea Lily Snape!" She smiled as she watched the whiskey explode.

"Come on dad, just tell me. It will be easier than having to deal with me pestering your until you eventually do anyway."

Severus rolled his eyes at his daughter's arrogance. "I'm sure you will hear all about it eventually."

Chelsea crossed her arms and huffed. "I hate being left in the dark."

Snape laughed as he pulled his daughter into a hug. "That's why I got you a nightlight."

Chelsea laughed along with him. "Daddy, you know what I mean."

"Believe me Lil," Severus said rising from the couch, "often ignorance is bliss."

Her ignorance however did not last long. Two weeks later Chelsea and her father were visiting Malfoy Manor and, as Severus thought, Draco was all too eager to tell his cousin the news.

"I mean, everyone's going on about haw brave Potter is, blah, blah, blah. He's more stupid then brave if you ask me. Who willingly takes on a three headed dog? I'm sure he just got lucky. Dumbledore probably helped him, but wants everyone to think Potter and his stupid friends did it instead, at least that's what father says."

"Please Draco. I know you and your father think Dumbledore is some old coot, but he's actually a great wizard." Draco just rolled his eyes. "However I agree with you about what Potter and his friends did being stupid. They should have got a teacher straight away, they could have been killed."

"To bad they weren't." Draco laughed. Chelsea just shook her head.

**Hope You Enjoyed!**


	3. Sorting

Chapter 3: Sorting

The rest of the summer flew by and soon Severus was seeing his daughter off at Platform 9 ¾. "Dad, why do I have to ride the train? I'm so tired from having to get up early to leave Hogwarts to catch the train just to get on it and go back."

"It's tradition to ride the train, now I demand a hug." The normally dark and imtimidating potions professor opened his arms to which his daughter quickly filled.

"You know you will ruin your nasty reputation by hugging me in public." Chelsea said after pulling away from her father.

"You're my daughter and you will only go off to school for the first time once, besides if anyone says a word about it they will be scrubbing cauldrons with _their _toothbrush for the rest of their educational career."

Chelsea laughed. "Now that's my cruel and malicious daddy."

"Enough of your cheek. Now go on, make friends." Chelsea gave her father a final hug before heading onto the train.

There were so many compartments! Draco had told her where he usually sat so she made her way down the train. Eventually she saw the blond head, but was sad to see the compartment full.

"Chelsea! Guys, this is my cousin Chelsea Snape." He turned back to the first year. "We can make room." He motioned for two fat boys to squeeze closer together.

"It's alright, I'll find somewhere to sit." Draco nodded and returned to his friends as Chelsea walked down the train as it began to move.

She finally came to a compartment with only two girls; each looked close to her age. She recongized Hermione Granger right away from her bushy hair and the fact that her nose was in a book for third years. The other one had to have been a Weasley. Her father had told Chelsea about Ron and the rest of his family.

"Do you mind if I join you? Everywhere else is full." The Weasley girl shook her head vigourously and moved over on her seat to make room.

Hermione Granger looked up into the dark, black eyes of Chelsea Snape. "You are Snape's daughter aren't you? Chelsea, correct?" She nodded and sat down beside the Weasley. "You haven't seen a red head boy or one with glasses and messy black hair, somewhere else in the train has you?" Chelsea knew she meant Potter and his side-kick.

"Stop fretting Hermione, Harry and Ron are bound to turn up eventually." The red head stuck her hand out towards Chelsea. "I'm Ginny, the youngest Weasley. I bet your dad has complained a lot about my siblings."

Chelsea laughed and shook Ginny's hand. "I see to remember something about a Fred and George trying to steal a toilet seat last year."

"So they really did try to send me one! I thought they were kidding!" Ginny laughed and smiled at the girl. "You don't look a lot like your dad."

"Really? It might be the fact that I actually wash my hair." Even Hermione laughed at that one, before standing up and going to the compartment door to look for the boys again.

"I'll be back. Maybe they couldn't find us so ended up sitting with Neville." The bushy haired girl was out the door and down the hall.

"She's worried sick about leaving those two alone and I don't blame her. Ron, Fred and George all stole my dad's flying car to go and get Harry from his uncle's house. Hermione seemed almost as mad at their stupidity as mum when she found out!" Chelsea laughed, esily picturing the bushy haired girl's face.

"Dad says if it wasn't for Hermione sometimes, they would be expelled by now." Chelsea leaned back against the soft seat of the train.

"Ah, if Ron was expelled before Fred and George I think I could mis behave for the rest of my life and mum wouldn't care." The two girls laughed together and began sharing stories about Fred and George, Chelsea having heard some of the best from her father, and continued chatting happily for the rest of the ride.

Severus arrived at the head table just as the group of first years was brought in to be sorted. He had previously had to deal with Potter and Weasley stealing Arthur Weasleys car and flying it to school. If he had missed his daughters sorting, the Gryffindor boys would have spent every free minute of their existence chopping up disgusting animal parts for his potions.

Severus was positive Chelsea would go to Slytherin; not just because of her biological parents being who they are, but simply because she was the essence of all that is Slytherin. Cunning, resourceful, ambitious, yes, everything a good little Slytherin should be.

"Snape, Chelsea." Severus saw Dumbledore eye him quickly before diverting his attention back to the students.

The black haired girl gave a patented Snape smirked as she sat on the stool, less the second after the hat touched her head it quickly shouted "RAVENCLAW."

Chelsea jumped off the stool in surprise and glanced at her father. He was unsure of what to think. He had been so positive that she would be in his house, that she would follow her parents and the man who raised her.

He smiled reassuring to her and she smiled back and scampered off to the Ravenclaw table, but not before hugging the newest Weasley addition to Hogwarts, making Snape raise an eyebrow. The only living heir to the Lestrange line just hugged a Weasley. This would be an interesting year.

Severus didn't pay attention to the rest of the sorting, or Dumbledore's welcome speech. His daughter wasn't a Slytherin. He had been so sure, so positive. She was cunning and sly, but the more he thought about it, it was her smarts that made her all these things. And maybe Slytherin wouldn't have been good for her, did she need to follow Severus's own Death Eater example?

Chelsea couldn't look at her father again after the one glance. She didn't know if his smile was real and he really was alright with her sorting. Chelsea didn't mind though, she loved the idea of being a Ravenclaw. Ravenclaws were smart, which meant everyone in her dorm would study a lot and she wouldn't be pressured to get distracted. Anyways, blue had always been her favorite color.

She sat down beside a blond girl, who was another first year, and pulled her long strands of dark hair over her shoulder. "I'm glad to see you know about Hairnipers." The blond girl smiled friendly at Chelsea. "A boy on the train teased me about the length of my hair and when I told him that I was trying to avoid a harniper infestation he laughed at me!" The girl's voice was soft and dreamy.

"I'm sorry. I'm not really sure what you are talking about." Chelsea tried to sound nice, but the girl was rather annoying.

"Hairnipers, they don't like nesting in long hair. Surely that is why you keep your hair so long isn't it?" The girl didn't look at Chelsea while she spoke; only swishing the liquid in her glass.

"No, I've never actually cut it. My dad doesn't want me to for some reason." Chelsea took a sip of her own drink hoping the food would appear soon.

"Then your dad must know about them. Otherwise he would let you cut it like all the other dads do. My dad told me about hairnipers when I was real little and I haven't cut my hair since." Chelsea laughed. She couldn't imagine her father believing in something called a hairniper. The idea only brought a smile to her face. "It looks like we are the only girls in Ravenclaw this year." Chelsea glanced up, seeing the sorting ceremony was over and she quickly scanned the room for Ginny, finding her happily sitting between her twin brothers. "I hope you don't mind the fact that I sleep walk. If you'd like, we can leave the door open at night so the sound of it opening if I leave doesn't wake you."

Chelsea Snape was definetly beginning to like her only roomate for the next seven years.

As the feast ended Severus slowly walked to the Dungeons carefully avoiding the Ravenclaws. He had decided that he was proud of his daughter, but he wasn't ready to face her on it. The first years were sitting on the couches in the common room as he walked in.

Severus Snape had imagined this night since Bellatrix had dropped off the tiny child, but it involved him overlooking the first years to see a small girl with black hair and black eyes smiling back at him.


	4. Potions Class

**Change of point of view guys! Also- this is the first chapter that is completely my writing! Hope you guys like it as much as you liked the first three chaps!**

Chapter 4: Potions Class

"Chelsea! Over here!" Ginny was standing by a desk waving me over as I walked into the dungeon classroom. My first Hogwarts class was with my father. After a warm night in Ravenclaw tower, I realized for the first time how cold the dungeons really were.

I sat down quickly beside Ginny and Luna sat on my other side. I knew my father was going to make a dramatic entrance; he always did for the first years. It made him seem intimidating.

"Ginny, this is Luna. She's in Ravenclaw with me." Ginny smiled at my spacey roommate and pulled out her potions book.

"Chelsea, you better help me. My whole family is dreadful at potions! I don't even understand the first page of this book; I tried reading it a breakfast when I saw potions was first." I laughed. I knew potions was going to be my best subject, not because my father was going to favor me, but because I had been brewing potions since I could walk.

"My dad says potions are rather pointless. Most things we make potions for can be found in the wild. Wrackspurts can confuse you just as well as any other confusion potion." Ginny looked at the girl, slightly intimidated. I had been getting use to Luna's comments for a whole night and I knew Ginny would take the same amount of time.

The door opened from my father's office and out stepped the man himself. "There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few... " I felt my father's eyes on me, but I couldn't bring myself to look at him. "Who possess, the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death."

Ginny looked petrified. "Ginny, he does this to all the first years. Trust me." I whispered it in her ear when my father wasn't looking. I knew he would take the chance to punish me just to enhance his image as the evil potions professor.

"Who can tell me where I might find a bezoar and what is it?" No one raised their hands. I knew the answer, but I wasn't going to show off. Not in my father's class. But he got the face that he got when he was going to pick on someone, so I slowly raised my hand. "Ms. Snape?"

It did sound funny to hear my own father call me that instead of Lily. "A bezoar can save you from almost any poision and is found in the stomach of a goat." _Or about in every room of our house at Spinners end and our family rooms at Hogwarts. _

"Correct. Five points to Ravenclaw. Now let's see if a Gryffindor can answer a question shall we? Ah, Ms. Weasley." Ginny looked up from her notes with fear in her eyes. "What do you get when you combine Asphodel and Wormwood?"

Ginny didn't move and I knew she had no idea. My father looked straight at her. "Pity, just another year of brawny Gryffindors." He turned to look at his desk as I scribbled the answer on the side of her parchment.

"Professor, they make the draught of living death." My father turned back around smirking. The look in his eyes told me he knew I had given her the answer. I could never get away with anything…

"Correct. Five points to Gryffindors." The room fell silent. Everyone, especially the Gryffindors, had heard my father didn't give their house points easily. "Don't expect such free point giving in the future. This is the first class in a long time when first years could answer those questions. Now turn to page seven of your books."

The class opened our books in silence. I skimmed through the page recongizing the potion before I saw the title. At least he was starting the class out with something easy. Ginny smiled as she saw only seven steps to making this potion and I felt her relax in her chair. Luna had her book open, but whatever she was doing, she was not looking at the page.

"You have twenty-three minutes. You must be in pairs based on houses. Begin." I smiled apologetically at Ginny and turned to pair up with Luna. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a happy looking boy come over to Ginny.

"You need a partner Colin?" Ginny's voice was pleading. The boy nodded and they looked down at the book together.

"We actually have to use a newt foot?" The boy seemed disgusted; he had to be muggle-born. "And where are we going to get a," he strained his neck to look at the book better. "A pinch of ceramically enhanced unciorn hoof dust?"

I leaned over because Ginny seemed fully paniced now. "You can find it all in the cupboard over there. Animal products, such as the two you just mentioned, are alphbetically arranged on the third and fourth shelves from the bottom." Ginny sighed, somewhat calming down.

I turned away from Luna who already had the cauldron heated up to my surprise and followed the boy to the cabniet. He looked disgusted as he read the various labels trying to find a Newt's foot. I sighed and grabbed the jar, quickly removing two and handing him the second one. He quickly grabbed a bag of unicorn hoof dust and ran back to Ginny to put the foot down. I grabbed the last two ingredients, enough for both of us, and head back to Luna.

We worked in silence and in twelve minutes, our potion was simmering beautifully at a emerald color with eleven minutes to spare. My father walked by and I could have sworn I saw a smile before he turned to Ginny and Colin.

"Weasley! At this time the potion shouldn't be lilac! You are at least seven minutes behind!" Paniced, Colin quickly slipped the powdered mint into the cauldron, making the liquid turn a deep blue. "I believe this potion is never going to be up to standards as this blue is never supposed to appear." He pulled out his wand and started to wave it over the cauldron.

"Wait! We can fix it!" Ginny, no doubt havig been told by her brothers it was better in this class to turn in dirt at the end then have Snape clear out your cauldron, quickly stopped my father. He laughed and turned away as Ginny frantically re-read the instructions.

I sighed and pulled her tray of radishes closer and crushed them with the side of my blade. "What are you doing?" She whispered. "Now our radishes are ruined! The directions never say anything about crushing them!" I slid the tray back towards her.

"Trust me. It releases the juices better." She nodded and slid the radishes into the cauldron and the Gryffindors' potion turned the same shade of emerald as mine.

Ginny and Colin both breathed a sighed of relief and sat in their chairs smiling. I heard a sudden ding from the front of the room and I noticed our time was up.

My father's robes flowed behind him as he walked past the first few rows examining the potions without comment. He approached our table and I took a deep breath. "Ms. Snape, Ms. Lovegood a fairly decent potion." I knew it was perfect, but my father was never going to admit it in public. "Now," his voice changed to a snarl. "Let's see how Weasley and Creevy saved their potion."

He said nothing as he stared at the perfect potion sitting on the table before him. "Mr. Creevy, tell me, how did you raise your potion to standards." I felt my father quickly shift his gaze to me before looking back at Colin.

"Um, we um crushed the radishes after cutting them." Colin looked like he was about to faint out of fear.

"And Ms. Weasley, why did you do that?" His voice wasn't as frightening as it could have been, yet Ginny still flinched as he addressed her.

"It would release the juices better." Her voice was barely audible. My father snickered.

"You four will be taking the front seats in this class from now on, so the others who have no talent in my class may observe and better from your skills." My father walked back up to the front of the class. I had a feeling he only wanted us up front so he could make sure I didn't help Colin and Ginny again. "Class dismissed." The whole class rose as on and the students ran out of the dungeon room.

"Ms. Snape. Please stay for a moment." I froze as my father's voice sounded.

"Snape? You're his daughter? I sure hope he is nicer at home, I mean if he was…" Ginny put her hand over Colin's mouth as they walked out of the room, Luna swaying as she followed them.

The door closed and I was alone with my father. His arms opened wide as I ran towards him and he wrapped his arms around me.

"You definetly scared them. You almost scared me!" He laughed.

"Ravenclaw blue looks pretty on you. I always worried emerald wouldn't match your fair complextion." I laughed and hugged him tighter.

"So you don't mind?" He let go of the hug and looked me straight in the eyes.

"Not at all. So you made friends with Weasley?" He sat in the chair at his desk in the front of the room and I sat on the desk like I had been doing since I was little.

"Ginny? She's a bit more down to earth then Luna." I looked him in the eyes, daring him to contradict me.

He laughed once more. "Well, what can you expect from the child of the editor of the Quibbler?"

"Luna's father writes the Quibbler? I see where she gets her ideas from!" We laughed together for a minute.

"So how are people reacting to you being the scary potions professor's little girl?" His voice was teasing.

"They said I don't look anything like you."

"Did you mention I wasn't your biological father?" He leaned forward in curiosity, as I smirked.

"I said it probably was because I wash my hair." I scampered onto the floor as he lunged forward playfully to grab me.

"You know that is a scalp condition!" I laughed as he chased me around the room.

"But the others don't!" I stopped from laughing so hard that he finally grabbed me and folded me into his arms. "You seemed agitated at the feast last night. What happened?"

He looked at me in surprise of the change in topic. "Potter and Weasley came to school in a flying car." I laughed at his scowl.

"So that's how they made it? I was surprised to see them at the feast after they hadn't been on the train." I thought about it for a split second while I waited for my father's response.

"How did you know they were late?"

"I sat with Ginny and Granger on the train. Every where else was full. Granger kept leaving our compartment to search for them." My father only nodded and looked at the clock on the opposite wall.

"What do you have next?" He walked over to his desk and grabbed a quill and a bit of parchment.

"Grandma Minnie's class," He eyed me carefully. "I mean transfiguration with Professor McGonagall." He laughed and handed me a note.

"She's not going to like it that you are late. You better hurry." I hugged my father once more before running out of the classroom.

**Review Please!**


	5. Transfiguration

**Oh it's a good day! The file was finally retrieved everyone!!!! I hope all the waiting is worth it!**

Chapter 5: Transfiguration

I opened the door to the transfiguration class room slowly, hoping not to make too much noise. Grandma Minnie would already be angry I was late, let alone disrupting the class. Once the door was fully opened I sighed, only seeing the brown cat I had nicknamed Speckles when I was three at the front of the classroom.

Ginny had saved me a seat towards the front of the room in between her and Colin. Luna was looking at the window, obviously not paying attention to her surroundings. I took my seat quickly and slipped my transfiguration book onto the table along with my note from father. Once the students were satisfied Grandma Minnie hadn't followed me into the room, the class erupted into conversation.

"You alright? He didn't give you a hard time for helping Colin and me, right?" Ginny's voice sounded stressed.

"No, he just wanted to make sure I knew he was alright that I'm not in Slytherin. He sounded relieved actually come to think of it." Ginny breathed out a long sigh and Colin smirked while taking another picture of the front of the room.

"Who would want to be in there anyway? They've already called me mudblood seven times since I've gotten here. I don't know what it means but I don't think it's a compliment."

"Colin! That's horrible!" Ginny and I both looked at him sympathetically, but on the inside I was teeming with anger.

"If it was Draco I'll tell my father. Dad has told Draco a thousand times never to use that word, but Draco's parents don't have that nice of a vocabulary either! Don't worry, dad will get him for it. He is Draco's head of house." I knew Draco was like that, always thinking he was so much better then everyone because he was a pureblood.

"You mean the blond second year with a pointy face who is always followed around by the fatter boys?" I nodded. "That's him alright, at least four out of the seven. What's it mean anyway?" Ginny and I looked at each other trying to find a way to put it to the simplest terms.

"Dirty blood. Nasty way to call someone a muggle born. We stole the terms from the gnomes who used to use it on worms." Three heads turned to Luna slowly. No one knew she was paying attention to the conversation.

"She's right." I looked at Colin who still seemed confused and lowered my voice. "Except for the gnome part, not sure where that came from." That seemed to clear it up for him.

I smiled as the tabby cat wandered over to where I was sitting. I reached down her hand slowly to scratch the cat's ear. "Hey Speckles." The cat meowed softly and seemed to almost wink at me.

I sighed. This speckled cat was a reminder of home, the home down in the Dungeons with my small room and the soft couch in front of the fire. This castle had been my home since I could remember, but these classrooms had always been like a giant playground to me. Ever since my father hugged me on the train platform, Hogwarts hadn't really felt like home.

The cat looked up at me curiously as my hand stopped scratching. I let out a soft laughed and scratched her once more. Speckles never seemed to age a day. She had been the same since the first time the cat had wondered into our small set of rooms called home. She still looked the same the first time I wanted to be left alone when father went out instead of one of the other professors watching me. Severus had brought me the small cat so I wouldn't truly be alone.

Every since then I had whispered all my secrets to it. It was the one thing except my father that I could confide in and knew was listening.

Speckles jumped onto the table and started brushing aside my books. Before I could scoop the cat into my arms, Speckles grabbed the note from father in her mouth and dashed towards the front of the room.

"Speckles! I need that!" I started to lunge after the cat when I noticing it changing. A mere moment later an older woman stood in Speckle's place.

My grandma Minnie, I mean Professor McGonagall, was smiling slyly and held out my note in front of her. "I take it this is the reason you were late to my class?" I timidly nodded, knowing she wasn't the loveable old woman I called Grandma when she was teaching. "Please tell your father that if he wishes to give you parental guidance it must be done outside of class time." I nodded and looked at the woman who winked at me.

She was an animagi and never told me. So that was the reason my father had been alright leaving me alone with the cat all these years. Grandma Minnie knew about my crush on Draco when I was nine, she knew about how much I loathed the boy now and only pretended to be friends with him to please my father and ever other secret I had.

"Now, even when a professor is not in the room it is unacceptable to shoot rubber bands against the bird cages in the back of the room." I heard a few snickers from the back and smiled. It really was a brilliant trick to find out who the trouble students would be. "Yes Mr. Creevy?"

"Can anyone do that? Turn into a cat I mean?" Colin seemed intrigued and looked at Grandma Minnie with such intensity I didn't think that even Dumbledore running into the room in pajamas would distract him, not that I haven't seen that.

"No. What you just witnessed was an amimagus transformation. Certain witches and wizards have been able to pull off the transformation, but each person only has one animal that they can transform into. Once you have succesfully completed the transformation however, you must register with the Ministry." She was pacing the front of the classroom, her eyes fixed on a crow pecking at its cage lock. "Yes Mr. Creevy?" Again, Colin's hand was in the air.

"What's it like to be a cat?" The whole class snickered at the question, as liable of one as it was.

"Well, I have found I can have a sudden want to chase a mouse." The boys in the back erupted into loud guffaws at this, but were silenced with a glare from the Professor. "Also, you can observe many things you can not as a human and some people may even tell you things they have never told anyone because they assume it won't get repeated." I felt her eyes on me as I took out my quill for notes. "Rest assured, I will not repeat anything you tell me whilst I am a cat." I sighed and smiled up at her, getting a wink once more.

The boys in the back were whispering and each of them quickly shot their hands into the air. "No, being a cat animagi does not give me nine lives." The boys pulled their hands down slowly. "I would have expected better questions coming from my own house."

Every Ravenclaw in the room snickered and turned their attention back towards Grandma- Professor McGonagall. "Now we will begin with a simple match into a needle." She waved her wand and a small match appeared in front of each of us.

And so on the class continued. I silently cursed my father for never teaching me something as simple as this, only potions. Ginny and Colin kept glancing towards me for help, but I wasn't much further along then they were.

By the end of the lesson however, my match had turned bright silver and Colin reported the tip was slightly pokey. It was a better start then the others in our group, except Luna who had turned hers into a perfect needle about twenty minutes in. The girl was a silent genius.

"Colin! You're such a boy!" Ginny laughed as she smacked the match away from her arm again.

"Come on; just tell me if it hurts!" Colin had spent about half of the lunch break attempting to get a point on his match, using Ginny as his test subject. I laughed and fell back into the grass twisting my long black strands on top of my head.

We had spent every class together, the four friends. It felt like we had known each other for years already. I couldn't help but smile as I looked at the three of them. Ginny was trying to read a chapter for charms while Colin kept poking her with the match. Luna was watching the ripples on the lake as she skipped small pebbles on the surface.

"Ow! Yes, you got a point on it!" I looked at Ginny's upper arm to see that Colin had indeed drawed blood. "You're lucky I have brothers and am used to this sort of thing!" Ginny laughed as she pressed her thumb down on the small wound to stop the blood flow.

"It's almost class time." Luna's languid voice made me jump and look up at the castle doors of which students were pouring in. "We have Defense Agaisnt the Dark Arts, with the Gryffindors again."

"Don't you think it's more then a coincidence that Ravenclaw and Gryffindor have every class together today and we are the only ones that have friends in different houses so far? It's like the schedule maker is willing us to be friends." I laughed, but Colin was right. Even just watching my dad's classes I knew this was a rare event. It wasn't as if we were Slytherins and Gryffindors though.

"Too bad we haven't spotted the giant squid yet. Is there really one in the lake Chel?" Ginny was leaning up agaisnt the tree now, gazing out at the dark water.

I nodded and laughed as Colin grabbed his camera and looked out over the water through the lens. "I've seen it a few times, but the chances of him showing up while you have your camera out are pretty slim Colin." Colin sighed and placed the camera back down on the grass next to him before picking it up once more.

"Harry? Can I get another picture?" Before the rest of us could look at the approaching group of second years, the bright flash went off.

"Don't you have enough pictures, Colin?" Ronald Weasley looked at the boy painfully before smiling towards his sister. "Mum is glad you're in Gryffindor."

"I heard that from the howler you got this morning." Ginny smirked as her brother's ears turned bright red. The fact was that everyone had heard.

"You are Snape's girl, right?" Potter looked at me quickly before grimacing. "Pretty sad home life I bet." Ronald laughed along with his best friend.

"Better than growing up with an Aunt and Uncle who despise magic. Bet you got in loads of trouble when it wasn't really your fault. Who knows, with that additude you might deserve it." I didn't look up at him as silence fell upon us.

"Ginny, why are you hanging around her? If she has any blackmail or something on you to do it, tell me and I'll get it taken care of." Ginny and I burst out laughing. Even if I was forcing Ginny to be my friend, Ronald Weasley wasn't going to "fix" the situation.

"She's my _real _friend. Maybe you haven't noticed that she isn't in her father's house, and _she_ helped me in Potions, which she wouldn't have needed to do if you had followed up with your promise to help me get a head start this summer!" Again, Ronald's ears turned bright red.

"But, but, but… Percy won't like it." Again, Ginny and I fell into the grass laughing.

"Ron, just leave them alone. Chelsea kept Ginny company on the train when I was trying to find you two." It was the first time Hermione had spoken during the conversation.

The two boys sighed and quickly turned away. "I'm still telling Percy." It was hard to make out the exact words under Ron's breath, but I knew what he meant.

**Review please!**


	6. Wanting

Chapter Six: Wanting

"I've never even been to school before and they give us all of this work on our first day!" Ginny's books hit the table loudly and Colin shushed her quickly.

"Madam Pince already came over here twice and she'll take away points the next time!" I tried to stifle back a laugh as Colin worriedly glanced towards the library desk.

"It's not my fault that Chelsea has to be smart, otherwise we could work in the common room." Ginny sat down and pulled a small black book out of her bag.

"And if I wasn't smart then who would help you get your work done when you procrastinate like that?" I grabbed her small black book and swapped it with a copy of our charms textbook. Ginny rolled her eyes and began her essay. "What is this thing anyways?" I flipped through the book, noticing there was no writing.

"It's a diary that my parent's slipped into my bag. It's charmed to write back to you then erase what you wrote. You can try it if you want." I opened it to approximately the middle and took out my quill.

_Hello. _I watched the letters disappear as a new set emerged.

_This is not Ginerva Weasley writing to me. Who are you? _As soon as I read the sentence, the word's disappeared and the page was blank once again.

_Chelsea Snape. _

_Who are your parents? _It was a relatively odd question to ask, and I stared at it for a minute before responding.

_My dad is Severus Snape. He adopted me when I was barely a week old. I don't know who my biological parents are._

_ Why haven't you asked him? _The question appeared so quickly that I caught me off guard. I shut the book quickly and slid it back towards Ginny.

"It's cool." That was all I could say as I faked working on my charms essay again.

I didn't know why it made me so uncomfortable. I never thought much about my biological parents before because I didn't need to. And I never asked my father because I knew it was a secret he wanted to keep as much as the mark on his arm that he hid from me. Maybe they were connected, but I never bothered to wonder. We were happy as a family of two, so it didn't really matter, did it?

"Her head must be full of whackspurts. I can go find my goggles." A hand waved in front of my eyes and I blinked back into reality.

Luna had appeared and was sitting beside Ginny, one eye reading her book and the other watching me.

"Chel, are you ok? I've been trying to get your attention for about five minutes." Ginny looked concerned and I stole a quick glance at the little black book she rested her palm on.

"I'm fine. I think I'm just going to go rest a bit before dinner." Before any of them could respond I slid my books into my bag and walked quickly from the library.

I wanted to turn down the stairs and slip into our family chambers, my soft childhood bed where I felt at home, where I knew I had family. But dad would ask questions, wonder what was wrong and how could I tell him?

But Ravenclaw tower wouldn't make it better, so I settled to wander the halls. I didn't know where I was going, all I knew was I didn't want to go anywhere.

My mother. Hadn't I ever wanted one, someone to spread gossip with, and someone who wanted to play with my dolls? She would look like same, with long dark hair, the same dark eyes as me.

Other kids had mothers, I must have dreamed of one at some point but the dream would leave so quickly I couldn't remember it. Dad would come back from teaching a lesson and I had what I needed.

Suddenly, the empty feeling was present and I knew this time I wouldn't forget.

"Chelsea Snape; Usually it takes until third year to begin wandering the halls in search of comfort." The light-hearted voice surprised me and I stopped slowly before turning.

"Grandpa Albus! I mean… Good evening Professor Dumbledore." I sighed and managed a weak smile in hopes to forgive my slip of speech.

"I think in this matter Grandpa Albus will work fine." His blue eyes twinkled over the half moon spectacles and I smiled fully as he came up beside me. "Now, why have you already left your friends, Weasley, Loovegood and Creevy, in the library on only the first day of term?"

I didn't ask how he knew whom and where they were, only shrugged my shoulders. "I guess I needed some time to think."

"May I so incline as to what about?" Dumbledore put a hand on my shoulder and led me around the corner.

"My mum." He only nodded and spoke a word under his breath to make the gargoyle lurch to the side. I hadn't noticed which part of the castle I was in, my mind having been elsewhere.

"I take it your father has never told you her identity?" The old man sat down behind his desk and I relaxed in the chair across.

"No. I've never really thought about it before but now I suddenly want to know. I love dad, I mean he's always been around for me so why would I want to care?"

"You know, I was never very close to my parents, especially my father. By the time I wasn't much older then you," I couldn't help but laugh. The idea of a young Dumbledore was as out there as a dumb Ravenclaw. "Yes I know it's hard to picture but I was once your age. But when I was I had pretty much seen my father for the last time. I wanted him around as I grew, and I wasn't anything against my mother. I needed a man to look up to as much as you need a woman role model figure."

"Did dad ever tell you about her? Who she is or what she looks like?" Dumbledore removed his glasses slowly to wipe them on his robes.

"I can honestly say no. I have prodded him with the question but your father will not budge on the information so I gave up a few years ago. It is not every day I have a professor so suddenly become a parent."

"I just wish I knew her name at least, or if I have her eyes. Even if they belong to my biological father, I want to know that they aren't hers. Luna says she looks just like her mom did, it's how she remembers her." I bowed my head to hide my tears as I wiped them with my sleeve.

"Don't be afraid to cry. I wish I could tell you something about your mother, but I'm as clueless as you are. Most likely she was a good friend of Severus's and got pregnant before she ready."

"But why couldn't dad tell me even that? I've never really asked him but I know he won't tell me, like that tattoo on his arm. I've never even seen it fully, but I know it has to be related to her. Do you know what it is, the design?"

Dumbledore's eyes for a moment flashed a darker blue before the usually twinkle returned. "I have never noticed a tattoo myself. I must give you credit for being observant." I smiled slightly as a small clock began to chime. "I hear that it must be time for dinner. Run along to catch up with your housemates. We shall talk again some other time."

I claimed my thanks and ran down the stairs to find Luna.

**Should I have been studying for finals instead of writing this?... Yes**

**Do I Regret It?... Not now but I will during Physics exam tomorrow morning**

**(Haha- forgot to post this- likely Physics went alright- im starting the next chapter now and I definetly will regret that come my geometry exam)**


	7. Pureblooded

Chapter 7: Pureblooded

By the end of October, we were almost inseparable. Every evening the four of us gathered around a small table in the library, the only place we could all study together. Except, Luna would read the Quibbler and Ginny would constantly write in that small black diary while Colin and I studied.

"Duck, Colin has his camera out again." I looked up from my parchment to see that he was indeed taking pictures of students once again. Ginny approached us laughing and tossed her books onto the table.

"Where have you been?" My eyes flickered back down to the essay as her laugh change to an unpleasant scowl.

"With Percy actually. He tried to get me to take a pepper-up potion, scared I've caught the cold that some of the older students are spreading." I looked up again to see she was indeed paler then she had been only a few hours ago.

"You alright then?" Colin shoved his books towards the middle of the table while he spoke to make a space for her.

"I'm fine Colin! It's just a cold!" I continued to watch her nervously as she pulled out a textbook instead of her diary.

"You probably caught it on all those trips down to Hagrid's hut to see if he's there." At last, a small smile spread over her lips.

"Who do you mean by he?"

"I didn't say anything, Colin." The boy only sighed as we broke into fits of giggles, quickly getting shushed by Madam Pince.

"Where's Luna? I thought she was coming in here with you guys?" Thinking I was not looking, she switched her textbook for the diary.

"She said something about needing to find her shoes." Ginny only nodded and we worked in silence.

"Chel? Can you help me with this? I can't figure out which defense spell Lockhart wants us to use for this one."

"Ask Ginny. I need to finish this essay before dinner." It was difficult being the studious one around them, always getting the questions when I had my own work to do.

"Ginny, can you help me? Ginny? Ginny? Anyone home?" When my gaze shifted upward I saw Colin waving his hand in front of Ginny's face, which was transfixed on the small black book. I threw my quill at her, making her startle and take in her surroundings.

"I think I will go to the bathroom before dinner." Without another word she stood up, leaving all her books except the diary, and walked from the library.

"We might as well be getting to dinner too Colin." He nodded and we removed ourselves from the library as well.

I spent dinner watching for Ginny to come in as Luna rambled on about a new plant her father discovered. I couldn't even pretend to focus, my mind worrying about my best friend.

Another glance at the Gryffindor table told me Potter and clan was missing as well, but I seemed to recall him being invited to a Deathday Party for some ghost. Surely Ginny was not spying on a ghost party just to see him?

As the entrée changed to dessert, she finally came in and sat beside Colin. She looked much better, more color in her face. I could only hope that it would last.

The school rose noisily from their seat to make their way back to the common rooms while Luna and I raced to catch up with Colin and Ginny. I handed her book bag back to her.

"Did I leave this in the library?" The three of us stopped to stare at her curiously.

"Yeah, you said you were going to the lou and left it." Up closer, her face was still pale, slightly worse then before.

"Oh, I thought I had put it in the common room."

Before I could respond we heard a scream and the students in front of us stopped walking. Without hesitating, I began to push through the crowd to the front.

I wanted to throw up as I took in the scene before me. Mrs. Norris was hanging by her tail from a sconce on the wall, cold as stone. The whispers around my confirmed my worst fear was not true. She was not dead, only petrified.

My eyes shifted to the words written in blood on the wall. _The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware._

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next mud bloods!" Draco was smiling proudly from the front of the Slytherin group.

"What does he mean that we'll be next?" Colin was stiff beside me and I prepared to lunge forward as Filch's voice filled the halls. He had seen Mrs. Norris. For the first time I noticed the group of the three second years in the center of the area.

"Argus!" Dumbledore's voice caught me off guard and I turned quickly to see my father following close behind him. "Come with me, Argus. You too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger. Everyone one else, off to bed!"

"Chelsea!" My father's voice echoed loudly in the halls and I took a deep breath before turning around to face him. He only called me that when he was frightened, like the time I fell off the small boat we were on and into the lake. "Follow us. You will wait outside Professor Lockhart's office until we are finished we these three."

I only nodded and followed silently without a glance to my friends. The group of teachers and second years slipped into Lockhart's office without another word to me and I waited, leaning against the wall.

My mind filled with fright as I heard the raised voices from the office, not being able to make out a word. My father's voice was echoing in my ears, the same way it had that day at the lake.

_"Daddy! The water is so clear here!" I was six, running around the small wooden sailboat._

_ "Not every lake is like the black lake Lily. Most are actually blue." He laughed from his small chair next to the sail as continued to watch the water. _

_ I could see small schools of fish swimming right below us, and I wanted to know more about them, what their life I was like._

_ I leaned further over the edge of the boat. "Lily, be careful. I don't want you falling over."_

_ It was too late. I tried to reach for the small fish and instead tumbled headfirst into the water. _

_ "Chelsea!" From under the water I saw my father jump over the edge of the boat to grab me. I had never heard his voice sound that way. Loud, like he should be angry but yet out of breath. My daddy was frightened._

_ His arms wrapped around me and he pulled me to the surface. "Chelsea Lily Snape, don't you ever do that again."_

_ I promised not too as he wrapped me in a towel._

The opening of the door brought me back into the present. Potter, Weasley and Granger came out of the room quietly.

"Well Snape girl, it's nice to see we aren't the only ones being accused of doing whatever someone did. How's it feel to know that daddy doesn't have your back in everything?"

"Ron!" Granger shooed the boys away as I felt my face turning red. I wasn't hear because I was beginning accused of petrifying Mrs. Norris, was I? "Ignore him Chelsea. He's not emotionally stable. I doubt that your father-"

The door opened to the office again and Hermione Granger disappeared before I could find out what she doubted about my father.

"Professor Dumbledore. I would like to request parental rights that my daughter remains in my quarters for the night."

"Do you not believe Severus that it would be best for her to remain with her housemates?"

"Would you deny any other father who came after hearing about recent events and asked for one night with their daughter?"

"Very well, Severus. I do expect her to be in classes tomorrow however."

"Of course Sir." My father turned quickly to me and grabbed my arm. "Lily, we are going."

He pulled me down the corridors in silence, hushing me when I tried to speak a word. His face still showed fear as we rounded each corner, putting him in front of me each time.

I was truly frightened by the time we arrived at the small two bedroom chamber I knew so well.

"Dad, what's going on?" Tears were building up in my eyes as he closed the door, then pulling me into a tight hug.

"Listen to me now, this is important in the days to come. You are entirely pure blooded, do you understand? There is not an once of muggle blood anywhere in you, I promise."

I turned my head to look him the eyes. He was talking about my birth parents for the first time I could remember in my life.

"My biological mum and dad, they-"

"Were pureblooded and that's all you need to know. Now go to bed." He released his grip on me.

"After everything that happen that's all your going to say? I'm pureblood now go to bed? Does this have something to do with what Draco said, about muggle borns being next? What's the chamber of secrets? What petrified Mrs. Norris? Why are you so frightened?"

The fear in his eyes changed to anger, his voice becoming a stiff growl. "Go to bed Lily. Now."

Before I could ask anymore questions, he disappeared out into the corridor, locking me in behind him.

**A lot for a small chapter and a big jump in time (almost two months) but until a few years from now I think all the chapters will be like this.**

**Please review! Im thinking maybe 10 reviews before I start writing the next chapter and maybe 15 to post it. :D I have faith u all can do it!**


	8. The Aftermath

**Hey guys- I had the idea all along but for some reason this took me forever to write- its been a busy summer! Enjoy!**

Chapter 8: Aftermath

"Lily sweetie, it's time to wake up." I heard my father's soft voice and stretched out on my bed without opening my eyes.

"Five more minutes." The words were barely audible as I turned against the wall.

"I'm starting breakfast now. If your not up then you will eat it cold." The door clicked as he left my bedroom and I finally opened my eyes.

I could smell the bacon, knowing it had to be Saturday. He only ever made bacon on Saturday. I swung my feet over the side of my bed and walked over to the dresser before slowly opening the drawer.

It was half empty, every pair of jeans missing along with my favorite t-shirts. That's when my eyes fell on the black school robes on the floor and I remembered I wasn't a teacher's daughter again; I was a student now.

Memories of the previous night flooded back to me. The chamber of secrets has been opened, enemies of the heir beware. I could see the words play across my mind, the red blood still dripping.

"Chelsea Lily Snape! Wake up!" My father's voice boomed into my small bedroom and I opened the door carefully.

"Why are you making bacon? It's not Saturday." I leaned in the doorway, watching him at the stove. "What time is it anyways?"

"Nine o'clock. I'm making bacon because I rarely get to make u breakfast anymore." He smiled, scooping the bacon off the pan and onto a plate.

"Well I'm having breakfast in the Great Hall." My voice was dark, his eyes growing with shock as I walked towards the door.

"Tell me what's wrong." He looked at me coolly, no emotion showing on his face.

"What's wrong? Last night you pulled me in here and wouldn't tell me what's going on! You blamed my best friend's brother and his friends for opening whatever it is when you barely had a reason to, but you just hate Potter!" I turned once more towards the door, as his hand wrapped around my arm.

"What do you know of my reasons? You're just a child!"

"Then tell me! You always said that when I was older I would understand but I'm just getting older and understanding less!" I could feel the anger flashing in my eyes, see the anger flashing in his.

"My reasons are my own! I do not need to share them with you!"

"Like you don't need to share anything about that tattoo on your arm with me or about my mother? I don't need to know anything except that she was pureblood, according to you! Did you ever think that to me I needed to know more then you think I do?" My father's face darkened, his hand pulling his cuff further down his left arm.

"Go to your room, Chelsea." His hand released my arm and I quickly made my way towards the front door, trying to keep the tears from falling from my eyes. "Where are you going? I told you to go to your room."

I stopped once to stare him down coldly. "My room isn't here anymore. It's in Ravenclaw tower, maybe even the same room my mum used to sleep in. I wouldn't know, because you don't seem to care." Before he responded, I ran from the chambers.

"But what even is the Chamber of Secrets?"

"How do I know if I'm the enemy of the heir? The heir of what anyway?"

"Will you two shut up?" I slammed my textbook closed, watching Colin and Ginny talking over the table quietly. "If you are so curious look it up in a book. I have homework to do."

"Calm down. Everyone is talking about it Chel, let it go. Hermione has already been through sixteen books looking for an answer. She was in the common room all night researching it and she can't find anything. No one can, but the teachers obviously know."

"Ginny! Why didn't we think of it before! Chelsea! Ask your dad about it, he's bound to tell you!" Colin bounced in his chair in excitement as I cast him a furtive glare.

"I already have you nitwit and he won't tell me. Except that you have to wait to find out like every other student." I refused to look him in the eyes; only rolling closed my piece of parchment. "I'm going to find Luna."

I stood ignoring their whispers and the conversations from others about the Chamber. I walked quickly, turning corner after corner and letting my feet take me someone, where I didn't care.

"Lily," I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I turned but no one was there. "Lily!" It was my father's voice, I knew it.

"Chelsea Lily Snape! You are going to miss the train if you don't wake up now!" I opened my eyes to find myself back in my small room at Spinner's End. "Come on my little third year, I don't want to be late either."

"I just had the weirdest dream. I was back in my first year, back in my first class with you and Grandma Minnie and the night that Ginny opened the Chamber. It was just weird." I kicked back the covers, undoing the braid in my hair slowly as I thought over the dream.

"It's probably just a way of showing yourself how excited you are to go back to school today. Hurry up and we might be able to stop at that muggle bagel place by the train station." I looked at my father carefully, noticing the strain on his face, the age that wasn't there in my dream. It had barely been two years and he had aged this much.

"Do I have to take the train? Why can't I just use the floo network like you do?" I plopped my head back down on the pillow, pulling the covers around me once more.

"You've taken the train every time and we aren't breaking that today."

"Fine, but you better let me get a chocolate chip bagel."

My father laughed as he exited the room. "If you don't get out of bed I won't be getting you any breakfast."

Reluctantly I stood as he left the room.

**Ok guys! Big surprise there but I promise it really will be short time gaps from now on. I'm off too camp for two weeks so hopefully I will write a ton while there! Miss you all and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!**


	9. The Boy

**Hey guys back from camp! School's started but for some reason I seem to write more during school then the summer so ****crossing my fingers**** updates will be more regular.**

"I'm telling you dad! It was different from any other dream! I was like I was back in time, living the moments exactly as they were! That's not normal!" I pounded the table with my fist making his coffee cup shake.

"Stop blowing things out of porpotion, Lily." His eyes just traveled back to the muggle newspaper, our subscription to the prophet hadn't come since the World Cup for some reason, in his hand. "And be quieter, the whole café can most likely hear you."

"I'm not lying!" I dropped my voice to a harsh whisper and when he responded was shocked he actually heard me.

"I believe you. All I said was that you are over reacting and I'm never letting you sleep over ten hours again. Now," He folded the newspaper placing it down on the table. "About this year I need you to pay special attention. For reasons I cannot disclose at this moment, this school year is going to be different. You must follow every rule precisely for your safety." I heard him take a deep sigh, then silence. "Lily? Are you even paying attention?"

His voice including my name drew me back from dwelling on the strange dream. "Yes, I am." Truthfully, I had tuned out long ago. Whenever my father spoke of behavior requirements I turned my thoughts to other matters. I simply gave him a small smile and continued nibbling on my bagel as he spoke once more. I believed the lecture was unnecessary as I had stayed out of most trouble as a second year. Perhaps I had lingered a moment in the halls trying to catch a glimpse of Sirius Black the night he got in, but my father had no way of knowing that.

As my father finished speaking, he glanced at his watch before quickly standing up from the café table. "We should get going; the train leaves in twenty minutes. I need to be at the school early. If I leave you at the station can you find your way to the platform?"

"Of course. Isn't it just through a brick wall between platforms 9 and 10 that muggles think is solid and probably would hit their heads on it if they tried to follow me through? Easy as pie, dad." I stood, adorning my face with a bright smile.

"Drop the humor, Chelsea." I hadn't even believed it to be that funny.

"What if my dream means something?" My mind could only focus on one subject. "Like that something from first year is going to happen again?" I quickened my pace to match that of my fathers.

"Why don't you ask Trelawney?" His voice sounded frustrated. "You start classes with her this year."

"You've always said her subject was crazy and so was she."

"She has made some powerful predictions." I couldn't tell if he was kidding or not, but knowing my father I assumed he was. "But you are correct which always means I believe your constant ramble about this dream is stupid."

I said nothing as we approached the station doors, still trying to decide for my own. My father walked in with me to help me load my trunk on a cart and with only a slight hug he walked away to find a secluded spot to disapparate.

"Chelsea!" I had barely moved a few steps before I heard the yell of my best friend. I had barely turned to greet her as she threw her arms around me in greeting. "I've missed you so much this summer! You should have come to stay with us to go to the Cup. Hermione and Harry came and it would have been so much fun! Of course my room would have been tight with you, Hermione and me in it but we would have managed."  
"It's all right, I liked being home with just dad and me, you know? It's a different relationship at school now that I'm a student." I shrugged my shoulders trying to look as if it was nothing at all.

"True." I looked up as Hermione, Harry and Ron disappeared through the wall. Mrs. Weasley was waving us through and, before the muggles had time to look, we vanished through the wall as well. "Do you know anything about what's happening this year? Bill keeps talking about something…. Look! There's Colin!"

"How about you two go get a compartment and I'll find Luna?" Inside I smiled that I had to make the suggestion again. Ever since the train ride home for Christmas in first year this had been the arrangement. Without another word, Ginny dashed off.

I turned once in a circle looking for the blond head. She was usually walking through the crowd greeting people casually and not paying attention to the time at all. Another turn and I still didn't see her.

"Well, if it isn't the Potion Princess herself? Ms. Snape, how do you do?" I recognized the voice with a leap in my chest, smiling as I turned to greet it.

"I am fine, Mr. Diggory. How was your summer?"

He only smiled at first as he placed my trunk on top of his. "I'll take care of the trunk for you. As for my summer it was perfect except for one thing."

"And what is that?" I couldn't help but smile wider at the boy.

"I had expected to see you at the world cup and then did not."

His remark caught me off guard, and I dropped the playful formality we used with each other. "Blimey, Ced! You're crazy! Dad hates Quidditch! He wouldn't get me a ticket even if I threatened to kill myself!" The laugh he expelled sounded like sweet music.

"Right. Quidditch and me. The two things he hates. I should probably scat before he spots me." Cedric took a quick look over his shoulder.

"He's not here, don't worry. Dad didn't even come on to the platform. He said he had to get to school as early as possible for something. And you know he hates Potter more then you, probably Ron Weasley as well for that matter."

A sheepish grin spread across his face as he touch my hand with his, making my insides lurch. "That's good, I guess. At least I'm a Hufflepuff instead of a Gryffindor."

"Also known as the left-overs as we call your kind in Ravenclaw tower."

"Cedric laughed, hooking his arm through mine as we continued to walk towards the train, him pushing the cart with both our trunks at once. "Not left-over, a combination. I'm as brave as a Gryffindor, smart as a Ravenclaw and cunning as a Slytherin."

I couldn't help but laugh, as he gave me an award winning smile. If Cedric has entered any of the contests Lockhart had won, Cedric would be the one with the award. "If you are so cunning and smart, Cedric Diggory, then why haven't you figured out a way for us to meet in secret?"

"I was thinking a compartment all to ourselves on the train could work nicely."

I wanted to nod my head in agreement as his eyes lit up but I couldn't. "And what of Luna, Ginny, Colin and all your friends? Won't they wonder where we are?"

The sixth year only continued to smile as he lightly lifted me onto the train steps. "I have a prefects meeting anyways. Meet me in the back compartment for when you see the prefects on the way back to their compartments. Tell your friends that you have a meeting with a first year that your father arranged to help him get settled. His name is Nigel Wespurt. I got him an autograph of this Quidditch player at the Cup for it."

I could have kissed him right then, but the train whistle blew. "I guess you are a genius Ced."

"You don't have to guess. I just am." He smiled once more before pushing away the cart towards the trunk loading section.

I couldn't help but notice Cho Chang push her cart a little faster just to be next to him.

**Review please!**


	10. Normal

Chapter 10: Normal

When I found the compartment Colin and Ginny had chosen, to my relief Luna was already there, along a small boy sitting next to Colin I didn't know.

"Chelsea! This is Dennis! You got my letter of course about how he got a letter too this summer and is starting!" I briefly remembered opening a rather heavy letter then throwing it to the side when it wasn't the right handwriting.

"Of course Colin. You won't be seeing much of your brother this year I'm afraid. He's going to be a Ravenclaw." I smiled lightly at the small boy who was grinning as wide as his brother.

"Don't get excited Dennis, you're not going to Ravenclaw. You're going to be a Gryffindor like me!" Colin grabbed his camera case from the rack and before I could even sit down, the flash went off.

"You're just jealous that your little brother is going to be smarter then you." I smirked at Colin before sticking out my hand to the little boy. "Chelsea. Chelsea Snape."

The boy shook my hand once, as his eyes grew wide. "Can you help me with potions?" I couldn't help but laugh and nod in agreement. It appeared that Christmas had come early for the boy.

"What took you so long anyways, Chel? Luna beat you here and said she hadn't seen you yet." I turned towards Ginny, placing the most innocent smile I could muster on my face.

"Looking for Luna." I then turned to the blond girl staring into space. "Sorry Luna, I guess I just missed you." Luna shrugged and turned her gaze out the window.

"Bet you were just flirting with someone. Could it have been the handsome Hufflepuff you are so enamored with?" Ginny's words caught me by surprise. She was not supposed to know about that, no one was.

I wanted to tell her, gossip away about him late at night like she does about Potter but it was a secret need to be kept quiet. People would start to ask questions about the age difference, especially my father. It wouldn't just be the age difference. It would be the fact that I was spending time with a boy, in his eyes Colin was very much a girl, at all.

"What Hufflepuff?" I tried to stay calm, make my voice sound casual.

"Why, only Thomas Brody of course!" Before I could respond Ginny was on the floor bursting with laughter and I soon joined her. As she was only thinking of our fellow third year, I was comparing him to Cedric.

Where Cedric was handsome and cute, Brody was fat and pimpled. When Cedric was smart, Brody was as dumb as a toad. Most of all, where Cedric was kind and loving, Brody was quite simply rude.

Yet mostly, I laughed at my panic. Ginny hadn't known at all, she was only playing with me and I was calmed by that certain fact. I smiled as Colin joined in with our laughter, even Luna. It was simply the four of us once again, with a first year looking completely confused.

We were still laughing when I heard the slight knock on the compartment door. I looked to find a small boy standing behind the glass, one I assumed to be a first year. I waved him to open the door as I gathered myself once more.

"I'm looking for a Chelsea Snape." The boy's eyes circled around the compartment once before I put out my hand.

"That's me. And you are?"

"Nigel. Nigel Wespurt. I'm looking for you because your dad said you could help me out with a few things…" Nigel Wespurt, my ticket to secrecy, looked positively confused as he watched my friends.

"No problem. Let's go." I turned back to Ginny, with a small smile. "Save me a seat in the carriages alright? I just have some things to do." I didn't bother to wait for her to nod in response as I followed Nigel from the compartment.

"Mr. Diggory is waiting for you in a compartment he showed me. He told me to bring you there." I laughed as Nigel continued to walk forward without looking back. Only Cedric would plan everything so perfectly for us, for the time we could spend together.

The boy was small, dirty blond hair with a freckled face. He walked briskly, flipping through pages in a thin black notebook. With a quick glance over his shoulder I noticed the pages had three columns: employer, job, payment.

"I see it's not only Cedric who has bribed you to do things. The older students will just take advantage of you if you continue to let them do this." Nigel stopped walking suddenly at my teasing voice. He clamped the book shut, turning to face me.

"These are not bribes, they are investments. Wouldn't you like to be getting autographs of famous people, a few coins, assignment help for only a small job because someone else is too lazy to do it?"

I sighed in defeat. The boy's logic was sound.

We continued to walk in silence, for so long I was convinced we had accidently turned around and at any moment I would see the compartment with Ginny and the others.

"Here Ms. Snape." Nigel nodded his head towards a compartment I had walked past without glancing into. Cedric was leaning against the window, standing, with eyes closed. Softly, Nigel opened the door.

"If the train were to suddenly stop, you would topple over standing like that Cedric." His eyes opened quickly at my smirking tone and in two wide steps he wrapped me in his arms.

"Only been apart for no even half an hour and you two are like this." Nigel Wespurt laughed as Cedric and I turned to look at him. "Good luck keeping this a secret. Mr. Diggory, my payment for delivering your Juliet…."

"Her name is not Juliet, it's Chelsea." Cedric's voiced was laced with confusion and we both looked at the boy curiously.

"Romeo and Juliet? The famous play? You wizards are so weird sometimes." I had no idea what the boy was talking about; it simply sounded muggle to me. "Alright, just give me our deal."

Cedric reached into a bag sitting on the bench, extracting two boxes of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans and a chocolate frog. The boy took it anxiously, while opening his black book to check off the row with Cedric's name.

"You say a word and I'll take double points from you every time I see you doing something wrong until you graduate." Nigel Wespurt nodded once and left the train compartment.

"Look at how well this worked out. The Prefects meeting was move until after dinner, so we get the whole train ride to ourselves." Cedric turned me to face him, pulling me closer. His fingers ran softly through my hair as I rested my head on his chest.

"I missed you so much this summer. Your letters only made me miss you more." I closed my eyes as his hands ran down my back and his breathing became deeper.

"Explain that to me?" His voice was light and calming.

"We never really talked much my first year, or most of second. It wasn't until you offered the four of us help in the library that day for exams that I ever really had a conversation with you. Then we kept finding each other to study. For the first few weeks I hadn't realized how use I was to being around you until I received your first letter Ced. Then you became all I could think about."

He was silent for a few minutes, the two of us just standing there happily in the middle of the compartment. Then he laughed. "I never should have written you then. You would have forgotten all about me and our dating lives could have gone on normally."

I jerked my head up from his chest, crossing my hands over my chest, as I looked him straight in the eyes. "Don't you dare say the Cedric Diggory! This can be normal! People hide stuff all the time! Remember last year when those seventh years got engaged on the last night, the ones in Gryffindor? No one even knew they liked each other!"

"Relax Chelsea, I didn't mean it like that. Whoever said normal was fun anyways?" One look at his eyes twinkling in the light coming in from the window let me forget everything he said, the same way his eyes twinkled each time in the library. "Don't you remember that I've told you that before?"

_"Chel? Can you explain this chapter to me?" Ginny looked up hopefully from her textbook, shoving it towards me. It was open to the same page as mine. The same page I was hopelessly lost on. _

_ "Sorry Ginny, I'm stuck too." I continued to flip through pages eagerly searching for a clue at decoding the textbook pages to no avail._

_ "If Chelsea can't figure it out we are all screwed!" Colin threw aside his book in exasperation and the rest of us closed ours as well. _

_ For the first time I noticed the older student skimming through the books on the shelf behind me, the potions books. As Ginny let out another loud sigh he turned around. It was Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff fifth year and seeker for their team._

_ "Can I help you four with anything? I'm not very good at potions but if it's charms I could definitely help there."_

_ A smile spread across Ginny's face as she handed him the textbook. "Yeah, its charms. I'm Ginny Weasley. That's Colin Creevy, Luna Lovegood and Chelsea Snape."_

_ "If it isn't the teacher that hates me the most's daughter? You wouldn't mind putting in a good word for me, would you?" He smiled lightly as he pulled out the chair beside me to sit down._

_ "If only I had a knut for every time someone asked me that. Considering what you said earlier I assume he hates you because you can't brew a potion for your life." I managed a small smile as I continued to flip through the charms book._

_ "Alright, you explain this potion to me and I'll help you four with your charms work. Every time I make it, it turns forest green instead of navy." Diggory opened up the potions book in his hand and pointed to a potion I instantly recognized from helping my father the previous summer. _

_ "You are most likely using minced asphswood instead of sliced. The regular spelling refers to minced asphswood but if you look closely you can see the two small dots above the second o. That means you need sliced." Diggory smiled before jotting down a note in the book's margins._

_ "Alright, let's see what I can do about this charms chapter. I do think I may need to use you as a resource in the future though."_

_ "It's not very normal for a third year to be helping a fifth year study for exams." I laughed lightly as I saw a small twinkle in his eyes._

_ "Whoever said normal was fun?"_

"How could I forget?" As I spoke, his cool lips brushed lightly against my cheek.

**Review! Please please review! They keep me inspired!**


	11. Triwizard Tournamnet

**Do I even want to ask how long it has been? I have no idea why this took so long and I can't say sorry to all you devoted readers enough! **

Chapter 11: The Triwizard Tournament

"Seriously Chelsea! How many questions could one boy have? You were gone the whole train ride?" Ginny's voice filled my head as I slipped into the carriage, pulling the door shut behind me to keep the rain out.

"He's just excited that's all. I ended up tutoring him a bit anyway, which was good because it got my mind back into school mode." I simply shrugged apologetically at Ginny as I noticed Luna and Colin staring out the window towards the lake.

"Don't worry Colin," Luna's languid voice filled the damp air brightly. "The boats will be fine crossing the lake in this weather and so will your little brother.

Ginny and I both glanced out the window as well, seeing the waves rush across the water's surface. "At least tornados can't travel on water. We might not be safe but your brother is!"

I whacked the red head lightly. "You never know when to not say the wrong things do you? It must be a Weasley trait." I smiled playfully as Colin's face grew wide with fear.

"Oh come on Colin," Ginny sighed impatiently. "I lived through Death Eaters invading the World Cup and you are scared of a…"

"Death Eaters? There were Death Eaters at the Cup?" I stood anxiously as Luna pulled me back down onto the bench before the lurching carriage toppled me.

"You didn't know? Something happened in the wizarding world and I knew before you!" Colin was smiling widely as he pulled out a Prophet. "How could you miss it? It's been front page ever since the cup."

"That's why I didn't say anything in my letters. I assumed you already knew!" Ginny shrugged apologetically, very simple-minded like.

"You all are acting like it was no big deal! Death Eaters! I trust you know what those are!" Luna grabbed my arm before I could attempt to stand once more.

"Relax, and read the Prophet. No one was hurt." Colin handed me the newspaper. "I still can't believe you hadn't seen it."

"Our prophet stopped being delivered. We haven't gotten one since the day… Merlin's beard I will kill my father!"

Suddenly, life made sense. I hadn't known because I hadn't seen a Prophet. Dad was hiding them from me since he found out; he didn't want me to know for some reason. That's why he had been so stressed lately, so cautious every time we stepped out the door.

"Dad must have been hiding them from me, just saying our subscription had stopped showing up. Why wouldn't my own father want me to know?" I flipped open the paper, reading the latest news on the event.

"I don't know Chelsea." The carriage fell silent as I continued to read about the muggle family who was tortured being released from St. Mungos finally. "He most likely didn't want you to panic. You do have a habit of impulsive behavior when you panic."

"Alright, Luna. Give me one example of me being impulsive." I could only laugh as the three rattled off a long list. "I got it. Here Colin, this is too unnerving to read. Take back your newspaper." The carriage fell silent, each lost in our own thoughts. Mine felt like betrayal.

I knew my father hid things from me, such as who my parents are or the mark on his arm. I've grudgingly accepted it through the years, gone along with the game because there was nothing else I could do, no one else I could go to.

Yet this was different. From a short letter or finding another copy of the newspaper I could find out easily. I failed to see the point in hiding the papers from me, hiding the largest news story since Harry Potter defeated Voldemort. What did he have to gain?

The carriage rolled to a stop, and each of us slipped back into the rain, and then ran up to the large doors of Hogwarts castle. One step into the building allowed warmth to flood my skin, so as I could pretend I was fully dry.

Grandma Minnie stood in full teaching dress, eyeing each of us careful. I made no move to smile at her, for in her teaching mode I would not receive one back.

"Hurry it up students, you must be in the hall before the first years arrive." Arm in arm with Ginny, we began to move forward up the stairs as a few fifth year girls were screaming."Peeves, get down here now!"  
The castle poltergeist was indeed carrying a large bucket filled with water balloons. "Already wet, aren't they? Little squirts! Wheeeeeeeeeeee!" With a quick throw, a second year became a target.

"I'm warning you, Peeves-" Professor McGonagall's voice was crossed as I slipped the rest of the way into the great hall, only hearing Peeves' laughter and he retreated.

I took a deep sigh as I walked into the Great Hall, seeing the décor shining brightly after a long summer. "Hiya Harry!" I turned on the spot to find Colin had rushed off to talk to the famous boy. Ginny shrugged, making her own way to the Gryffindor table as Luna and I headed for Ravenclaw.

My eyes cautiously glanced towards the staff table, finding my father seated between Professor Sinastra and an empty seat I assumed to be McGonagall's. He turned his gaze towards me, knowing I was watching him. I tried to channel every feeling of anger I had through my eyes, then he just turned away.

I didn't turn to look as he sat right behind me at the Hufflepuff table. I only closed my eyes to listen to his voice as he started a conversation with a friend.

"Merlin's beard Ced. All summer you spent running around to different towns and there wasn't one cute girl you met? I stayed home and must have snogged at least three. Maybe four if you can count twins separately."

"I told you. Not a single girl caught my attention as we traveled. And you should be careful, certain people might be listening."  
"Like who? The only other people around are those third year Ravenclaws behind us. Why would they care what we talk about?"

"Don't know. They could care though."

"Wouldn't mind. Snape's daughter isn't too bad looking, is she?"

"But to know her dad was watching every time you wanted to hold her hand wouldn't be so cute, would it?"

I tried to hold back laughter; the problem was he was simply stating the truth. I glanced anxiously at my father, who was staring down a few Gryffindors. In one short movement, his eyes could be on me. A fact I always was forced to remember.

"This year, Hogwarts will play host to a legendary event. The Triwizard Tournament!" The headmaster's voice, and the loud cheers that followed it, pulled me quickly from silent thoughts. I could barely hear the announcement of an age limit from all the sudden protest.

The Triwizard Tournament, the man was crazy. People died, it was dangerous and hadn't been done in years. At least there was an age limit; no one I really cared about could compete. My friends were safe… Cedric.

The thought hit me cold. Cedric was seventeen, he could enter, he could get chosen and end up dead. Yet a voice like a cold current slipped over my shoulder.

"Ced! You should enter! Didn't you turn seventeen a few days ago?"

"Could be good. It's time to show those Gryffindors that they aren't the only brave ones!"

"What?" I turned quickly, his eyes suddenly meeting mine. "You can't!" For a moment I forgot that anyone could be watching, but Cedric remembered.

"And who would you be to tell me what to do? You're only like a third year right?" His eyes spoke against his words, silently begging me to drop the conversation.

"I just don't think a Hufflepuff could survive. What are you guys supposed to be good at anyways?" The Ravenclaws seated around me broke into laughter as the table beside us yelled in protest.

"Students! Students! The contest need not be between houses at this time!" We fell silent as Dumbledore watched us over his half moon spectacles. My eyes found my father staring at me coldly. I assumed he witnessed the whole incident.

"Yeah! There won't be a need for Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs to compete…"

"Because Gryffindor will take you all!" The red haired twins high fived each other loudly.

"Thank you to the Mr. Weasleys. Now I think there are beds waiting for each of you! Off you go!" Dumbledore smiled once more as he dismissed us from the hall.

Screeches filled the air as a each bench was pushed back, students standing hastily. Luna grabbed my hand, pulling me along as she began to skip from the room. Before I could take a step, a body crashed into me.

"Ced! Stop letting that Ravenclaw get to you! It looked like she tried to trip you!" His friends laughed as he mumbled fake apologies. Lightly, a piece of paper was pushed into my hand. "Come on Ced!" He didn't look at me as he slipped away.

_Meet me in the fourth floor corridor. On the right side, there is a tapestry. I'll meet you there._

"Chelsea! We need to go to the dormitories or the nimbeturans might escape from my trunk!" Without question, I followed her, not wanting to know what sort of creature might be planning to live in my dormitory for the term.

**Thanks guys! Please review!**


	12. Promise

Chapter 12: Promise

"Who do you reckon our champion will be?" The voice came from a small group of first years huddled in a corner.

"Doesn't matter, does it?" Sherry Fawcett, fifth year, grimaced across the room. "The Durmstrang will win. Their headmaster teaches dark arts."

"That won't stop you from trying to enter though, will it Fawcett? Anyways, we have Dumbledore! I bet he'll give private lessons to whoever gets it."

Our seventh year prefect, Alec Manternby, stepped on top of a table by the fire. "Then let's make sure it's a Ravenclaw! Thanks to Chelsea the Hufflepuffs know their place!" The common room broke into loud cheers, except for Chang and her pack. Each one glared at me as Cho flipped her hair over her shoulder, eyes like cold stone. "What's your issue Chang? Snape totally took down a pair of 6th years, what did you do?"

"Shut it Manternby. All she did was sound like some pureblood picking on Muggle borns. Diggory would be a good champion, better then the ones we could come up with." Again, the common room filled with yelling, yet this time in protest. Chang simply rolled her eyes and stood up quickly, her posy following her up to the dormitory.

"Forget her Chelsea," Manternby smiled widely. "Chang's just jealous she didn't beat you to it."

"That's alright. I have to get going anyway." Without another word, I slipped from the common room.

It took the length of a corridor to realize that I was being followed. The boy's footsteps were soft, as if he was trying not to be noticed. Quickly, I stopped and turned.

"What do you want Goldstein?"

Anthony stopped briskly, his eyes turning away from me. "I just thought that maybe you might have wanted someone to go with you… wherever it is you are going. The castle can be kind of scary late at night and I didn't think you'd want to go alone."

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "If I had wanted company I would have asked someone to accompany me."

The boy looked towards the ground before quietly turning around, instantly allowing me a moment to breathe in relief that tonight was not the night I would get caught.

"Won't you look at that? Cedric Diggory is actually reading a book!" I laughed as he shut it briskly, shoving the book into his bag as I sat down against the wall beside him.

"I was in the library and I saw that book that the boy on the train referenced. If you're my Juliet I think I should know why."

"What have you found out so far?" I leaned my head on his shoulder, his hand wrapping around my own.

"Something about a 'pair of star-crossed lovers takes their lives'."

I pulled my hand from his, turning my head to see his eyes. "So this Juliet and Romeo die?"

Cedric smiled, taking my hand once more. "How about when I get to the end I'll let you borrow it? If the ending is that sad then we aren't Romeo and Juliet, I promise."

A dark thought spread over my mind, worrying that for once he may be wrong. "The tournament." The words were quiet on my lips.

"Come on Chelsea, no one is going to die. Dumbledore is helping to run it, isn't he? What could happen with Dumbledore around?"

"What about Karkaroff? He's rumored to be teaching the dark arts? What happens when you get hit by a dark curse?"

"Even if I enter, the chances of being picked are so slim that nothing will really…"

"And what if you are picked by chance? We live off of chance don't we? It was chance you were in the library that day to help with charms! It was chance that we found time to tutor each other last year! It was chance that no one found our letters this summer! It is chance now that no one will catch us!"

"Exactly. We've been so lucky so far that there is no way the luck will carry as far as me being selected champion."

"Then you don't deny that you plan to enter. If you are so certain you won't be picked, then why enter at all?"

Cedric tore his gaze from mine, staring at the opposite wall. "Think about it. Eternal glory, it almost makes you immortal. Forever, I'd be remembered if I was chosen. People would stop caring what I did every moment as long as I won. Nothing would matter anymore. Everyone would notice me, but no one would argue at my faults. We could be together, all the girls being envious of you instead of calling what we have odd. You're dad wouldn't care, his daughter would be close to the champion and he would then be too. And maybe then mom might…"

"Cedric, stop. Please stop." Tears fell heavily from my eyes as I turned his face back towards me. "None of that would matter if you were hurt. Things will get better, we will work everything out I promise. Don't think about doing this for me or to fix things with your mother. I would rather have hidden moments then you hurt, and I promised your mother would rather have you safe as well. Maybe she doesn't know it now, but when things get better she'll tell you the same thing. Don't do this for us. Do it for you and only you."

"I can't do anything for myself without considering the two most important women in my life."

"Exactly. Then you won't do it at all." Both of our faces still wet with tears, Cedric kissed me softly, yet I pulled away quickly. "Promise me you won't enter. Promise me."

Silence filled the small alcove. My breath grew slow waiting for his answer. "Alright, I promise."


	13. Divination

Chapter 13: Divination

"All Harry does is look at that Chang girl in your house. She's not even that pretty is she?" Ginny leaned over the table in the classroom, her voice lowered so that not even Colin and Luna could hear her.

"Most boys seem to think she is. It doesn't matter if he fawns over her, I think she has a thing for someone else."

"I know that already. It's that Diggory boy, the Hufflepuff who tutored us last year, the one you called out at dinner last night. Am I right?" I nodded my head, watching as a smile slipped onto Ginny's face.

"He's single, isn't he? That means Chang can get him and Harry will have to move on!"

"No. He's taken." I hadn't meant for my voice to sound that forceful. I turned my head down in case I started blushing.

"Who?"

"I don't know, but he's taken." Ginny let out a frustrated breath, leaning back in her chair.

"Let's just hope she stays madly in love and could care less about the boys fawning over her." That was the opposite of what I needed. I needed her off my back, before she found out anything.

"Ok." My voice was calm, trying to hide any emotion.

"What's your problem? Last year you were all for sneaking into Hogsmeade so I could try and see Harry, even though we never pulled it off, and now you are being so uncaring!"

"I do care, it's just let's not try to mess with Chang. She can be a real bastard sometimes."

"But Chel…"

"Welcome my children to Divination. In this room you shall learn if you possess the sight!" Professor Trelawney entered from her office, crashing into two tables on her way to the middle of the room. "Usually I start this class with tea leaves, but that did not go well last year."

Ginny leaned into the middle of our table, trying to avoid the crystal ball in the center. "Yeah, Ron told me that Harry had a grim in his cup."

"What's a grim?" Colin leaned over so Ginny could whisper in his ear. "I sure hope I don't get that."

"You, boy! The sight is strong within you! You are in the beyond, I can sense it!" Colin's face turned bright red as he stumbled to find words.

"Colin's in the beyond as much as a toad would be Professor." Ginny smiled innocently, the room breaking out in laughter.

"Silence girl. You are definitely not in the beyond nor will you ever be so." Ginny rolled her eyes as the Professor turned back to Colin. "Now, ask someone about their latest dream and tell them what you think it means. Not the red head! She has no possible aura!" Colin quickly turned his gaze towards me, eyes pleading for aid. Until that moment, I had almost forgotten about my own dream that less then twenty four hours ago had possessed my mind.

"I dreamed about my first year here, up until the night the chamber was open. It felt like I relived every moment but I was only sleeping for ten hours so that's not actually possible, is it?" I directed my questions towards the professor, not trusting Colin to provide a reasonable answer.

"Now, you must analyze her dream. Ask her questions about her first year."

"Well, I assume anything I don't know you won't tell me because it's personal so I don't think that will be worth it." Colin was bright red, Ginny trying to hold back her laughter desperately.

"Yes, I am getting that sense as well. Now, you must decide what the dream means." Professor Trelawney was leaning over me to stare into his eyes intently.

"I guess that something you did then will you affect you now, or some feeling that you had as a first year will come back or you still have it." He shrugged his shoulders, anxious for the women to disappear from our table.

"My boy! You have the sight! I have not had a student in my class with such a chance to be a seer before! The rest of you must go! It is rumored that when one discovers their sight they must go through a series of rituals before being with others who do not have the gift!" Before we could even grab books, Trelawney grabbed Colin and dragged him into his office.

Ginny refused to stand, she was laughing so hard. Luna and I each grabbed an arm to drag her from the tower room. "Wait until Parvati and Lavender hear about this! They both thought that they could be seers because Trelawney told them they could! Any one who would say Colin possesses the sight is crazy!"

"Poor Colin. She must be torturing him." Luna stopped walking, dropping her hand from Ginny as we heard a yell of protest from the tower.

"Yeah Ginny, be sympathetic like Luna or I bet I could convince her that you are the true seer. I hear she can't see well so I'll just give you curly brown hair and she'll think your Colin!"

"You wouldn't dare." She raised her finger in my face, expression stern. I laughed before brushing it aside.

"Come on. We are lucky to have a free period so lets at least get the work from this morning done." Ginny rolled her eyes, hooking arms with Luna and I.

"If Fred and George figure out how to enter the tournament underage, then we should put Colin's name in."

"Ginny!" My voice matched Luna's perfectly, our playful annoyance quickly growing.

"If I was the Hogwarts champion I would want to see the future!" We said nothing as Ginny continued chatting about the tournament, her mind turned from teasing Colin.

"Ginny, the other schools aren't even coming until the day before Halloween! It's almost two months away!"

"Two months could pass fast if we had cute guys to spend it with." I smiled at Ginny's comment, knowing I already had one.

"Let's head down to the dungeons. If we get to potions early then I can confront dad with witnesses. If he truly thought he would get away with not telling me about the Cup, I'll never trust him again."


	14. StarCrossed

**Hey guys! I severely apologize for how long this took! Why must high-school involve so much work? I also can't say this story is at the top of my writing priority list right now but I wish it was because I have a better plan for Chelsea then the main character of my novel but oh well…..**

**Enjoy and Review!**

**Chapter 14: Star-Crossed**

The cold air of the dungeons seeped through the light fabric of my robes, forcing me to pull the cloth tighter around my body. Ginny pushed me towards the front of the room as I walked through the door. My father sat at his desk, already grading summer homework.

"Lily. Weasley. Why are you both so early?" He looked up once to see us before turning his attention back to the papers.

"Trelawney let us out early. She thinks Colin possess the sight."

"Ah, so you had divination. Only Sybil would Did you tell her about your dream?" He laughed briskly, still not looking up at us.

"I did. She said it wasn't anything important, something like I'm just reliving strong feelings from that time. Nothing noteworthy." I walked up to his desk, seeing the corner of a Daily Prophet sticking out from under a stack of papers. "Dad, do you happen to have today's Prophet? Now that we are here whatever problem we had with our subscription should be solved, right?" Ginny could tell I was wasting no time in getting to my feelings with my father. I could barely hear as she slip out of the room.

"I left it up in the Great Hall after breakfast." The lie came off his lips so easily that I almost could believe it.

"You know what I think that feeling Collin was talking about in my dream is? I think it's the feeling of knowing someone is hiding something important from me." He finally met my eyes, his grip on the quill tightening. "Maybe something that happened in the news. Like Death Eaters at the World Cup."

My father froze, the quill silently dripping drops of ink onto a student's paper. "How did you find out?"

"How wouldn't I find out? Everyone is talking about it, everyone has copies of the paper. How did you think I wouldn't?" The anger seeped into my voice, making me shake.

"I thought that perhaps by now it would have blown over, that teenagers have more to talk about then that." His stood, walking around his desk to wrap me in his arms before I could pull away.

"Why didn't you want me to know?" I barely knew that tears were forming in my eyes until he tried to brush them dry.

"There was no reason for you to worry. You are such a pure soul and hate seeing the misfortune of others. I didn't want you to worry."

The excuse seemed shallow, and I pulled away quickly. "There is more to do with it then that. It's about my mother, isn't it?" All I needed as clarification was the way he closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "Every time you try to cover up something, everytime you worry about me knowing something has to do with her and that thing you hide on your arm."

My father rushed towards me, smacking his palm hard against my cheek. "Shut up. What do you know about your mother? What exactly do you know about my arm?" We agreed this was not a topic we needed to discuss anymore!"

No tears came, I was too stunned and angry for reaction. "You hit me." It was a statement, nothing more.

"We agreed this was not a topic we needed to discuss anymore!" His voice was gruff, terror I was used to over hearing but never directed at me.

"You hit me. Why would I tell you if you hit me?" The tears now fell swiftly, coating me face in water. He said nothing, only walked towards the classroom door. "Weasley! Tell the others class is cancelled today!" He shut the door quickly, rushing back to the me. His arms rose once more and I ducked to avoid the pressure of the hit. No sting came, only his steady arms wrapping around me once more.

"Let go of me!" I squirmed, applying all the force I had against him but my father wouldn't budge.

"Shhhh. How about we head into our family chambers and I'll make you some tea?" All of the anger simply vanished from his voice, returning to the man who held me after nightmares.

"Why won't you just tell me? You'd never have to hide it anymore." The words were choked out between my tears.

"It's for your own good that you do not know, Chelsea. I will not start this again! You are my daughter, I took you in and I raised you! Isn't that enough for you? Can you not just accept me?" He let go of me to wipe a single tear from his eyes. That moment was all I needed to slip away and run.

As I ran, my father's single tear plagued my mind. He was not a man to cry, I could never remember even his eyes filling with mist. Years touched with anger, raised voices and my own tears, but never his. Never once had I made him that disappointed, so upset that he cried.

I walked softly, barely holding my own tears at bay as I tried to find the hidden nook again. I crawled in quickly, making sure no one saw and lighted it with my wand. Nothing was left from the night before except a small book pushed into the corner. The slim gold letters imprinted on the leather shone softly in the pale light. I tossed the book aside, no desire to learn more about the fated couple.

I collapsed against the wall, tears now falling in a steady stream. My life was built on lies and nothing more, from both my father and I. Lies and Secrets, nothing told and no truth gained.

He could keep his secrets and I would keep my own. Cedric was right, this could become our secret place and no one would have to know. I crawled towards the book, picking it up once more and opening to the first page.

_Two households, both alike in dignity_

_In fair Verona, where we lay our scene_

_From ancient grudge break to new mutiny_

_Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean._

_From forth the fatal loins of these two foes _

_A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;_

_Whole misadventured piteous overthrows _

_Do with their death bury their parents' strife. _

_The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,_

_And the continuance of their parents' rage, _

_Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, _

_Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;_

_The which if you with patient ears attend,_

_What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. _

There was nothing for us to mend. Tears meant nothing, life would go on and secrets could be kept. It would take longer then two hours for life to continue, to cope with the hand I had been dealt but we would make it, Cedric and I.

We are star-crossed, but nothing close to fated tragedy.


	15. Deceit From Within

**Hey Guys, I guess I'm back into the swing of things for a while! I think this should win an award for the fastest update I've ever posted :D**

**Chapter 15: Deceit from With-In**

Quiet is the easiest; there is nothing to discuss when one says nothing. I only spoke to my father in class, and nothing more. I became nothing more then his student. He tried to talk, I wouldn't listen as he did or respond. For a month we grew apart as I grew closer to another in my life.

I slipped behind the tapestry as Cedric closed the well-used book. "I think Madam Pince should like this back eventually."

"It's a muggle book, I doubt even she goes over to that corner often. Anyways, I was there this morning and the same author has written multiple other stories. You could just switch it out for another one." I sat down beside him on the mattress he had slipped in here a week ago.

"I like this one, wouldn't it be complicated if we were two stories?" His arm wrapped around my shoulder and I leaned in, my cheek against his chest.

"But we aren't Romeo and Juliet either. We agreed on that ever since they died." He simply nodded, taking my hand in his. "I'm sorry that I'm late. A few Ravenclaws were returning from submitting their names for the tournament as I was leaving. The common room was packed and I didn't need Goldstein trying to follow me again."

"I think he likes you, the Goldstein boy. I don't blame him, for what's not to like?" I laughed along with Cedric, curling my body into his.

"At least I have you so I don't have to resort to boys like him." Cedric breathed once deeply, turning his face away from mine and his grip loosening on my hand.

"What if he was better for you though? You wouldn't have to worry about losing him ever." I reached up to touch his cheek, bringing his eyes back to meet mine.

"I'm never going to lose you, because no one is ever going to find out. You said so yourself." He remained silent, yet his eyes stayed on me. I racked my brain to find something else to say to turn his mind away from where it was. "Whose the sixth year Hufflepuff that enter the Tournament? I heard someone talking about it as I was leaving the Tower."

He paused, darkness growing in his eyes, as he seemed to be searching for words.

"I hate lying to you, but what if it was for your own good that you just didn't know something?" I pulled away from him, sitting up straight but never losing his gaze.

"Then I'd say you were starting to sound like my father." I couldn't tell what he was thinking; only watching his eyes flicker back and forth as he was lost in thought.

"Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn." I snuggled back in his arms, trying to place the quote, his mind amazing me. Each moment he could remember the simplest line and recite it to me, yet I barely could respond.

"I don't remember this one Ced." I felt my head move slightly as he inhaled slowly, taking double the time to let the air out.

"If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking and you beat love down." He took my hand once more, squeezing each finger tightly.

"What does that mean exactly? You know I'm not good with this." I tried to make my voice light and carefree, yet each moment that he breathed deeply and seemed to be searching for words terrified me. He always knew what to say.

"It means that I love you, and I don't want to hurt you. I love you so much it hurts sometimes and I don't know what to do but make it hurt back." His voice was heavy, each word an effort on his tongue.

"Cedric, what did you do?" Somewhere, deep inside me I knew before he said anything.

"I entered the tournament." Those were the first words all night he hadn't thought through carefully; just let them slip from his mouth. Somehow, I had known. Somehow, he still surprised me. I couldn't find words to speak and he filled the silence quickly, trying to make it forgivable.

"I just thought that things could get better. It hurts me to have to resort to this, meeting in secret just because of our age difference and your dad. I almost can't take it sometimes and this seemed like the best way to change things for us. Don't you see Chelsea? My love for you is practically killing me, and I knew I was hurting you but I thought maybe Mercutio was right, and all we needed was pain on both sides." He breathed another shallow breath, ready to say more but I had found my voice.

"Mercutio was a fool who ended up dead Cedric! You don't think I wasn't already feeling pain? My best friend is going boy crazy and I have to lie to her when she asks me if I have a crush on someone every day! My relationship with my father has turned to just lies and secrets but I still love you!" I started to stand before remembering the low roof of the alcove.

"Just listen to me for a minute." His voice was steady, not cracking with tears like my own.

"I did listen! I listened the night you promised me you wouldn't enter! This can't be about me if you broke that promise Cedric! I trusted you!" I tried to crawl away from him, wanting nothing of his warm touch or the look in his deep brown eyes. I just wanted the truth.

He held me tight, forcing me to look at him. "You don't understand Chelsea."

"You're right about that. I don't. You sound like a fool right now, going on about exchanging pain for pain to get love. This isn't about me, Ced. It's about your mother and you are just trying to get her attention like always. Is that what I am to you, just another way to get her attention?"

"Stop it, you know it's not like that." His eyes begin to fill with a soft mist as he continued to hold me.

"Then why every time you get a high mark do you write to your mum? She's not going to come back if you get hurt because she doesn't even know you to feel that pain. I know you and I'll feel it but you'll be too busy seeing if mummy cried for you instead of being there for me." I didn't bother to think anymore before speaking, deciding that the filter I kept up all my life never really got me anywhere.  
"What do you know about it, Chelsea? Every time something happens anywhere in this damn building your father is there to whisk you away until everything is alright again. What do you know about having a parent who has forgotten to care?" He looked away as the tears fell down his face, hating the fact that I had resorted him to tears.

"What about a mother that never is there at all? Maybe she barely responds but at least you can write her, or say good morning whenever you are home! At least you know her name!"

Neither of us spoke again for a moment, processing the words said slowly. Hadn't I been thinking it for months, ever since he admitted about his own mother? We had been there for the other, but never placed the two as a similar thing, never stating exactly how much we were alike.

"Then you should understand how I feel! If you had a chance to talk to your mother, get her to say 'I love you', wouldn't you take it?" His voice rose to a yell, matching my own.

"I wouldn't care as long as I knew her name." My hand reached for his, but he snapped away.

"You say that now, but once you know her name, you'll want more and more and it never ends."

"But…"

"No Chelsea! You can't hope to understand this, you're just a child."

It was like the world stopped once more, each of us breathing in harshly waiting for the other. Slowly his face switched into shock, realizing the exact meaning of his words.

It was the same as I had heard for years, the same thing my father called me when he told me I couldn't understand about my mother. _A Child. _I had nothing wrong about me but my age, the one thing I couldn't help. The one thing that anyone else would see coming between us but we had never cared.

"Chelsea… sweetie…I didn't mean…"

I clamped my hands over my eyes, the tears falling faster as I fled from the tiny alcove, running and never looking behind as I raced for the Tower.

The bronze knocker guarding the door opened its mouth to speak. "What is it that no man yet ever see, that never was and is always to be?"

"I don't care!" My voice just yelled, not at the knocker but at anything that would hear my cry.

"Tomorrow." Every muscle in my body tensed as I heard his voice, Goldstein reaching out to touch me as the door swung open. "Is everything alright?"

I didn't bother to pretend it was. He had heard my yell, could see my tear stained face and blood shot eyes. I couldn't move as he grabbed my wrist, using the touch to guide me through the common room door. It was late enough that no one was left downstairs and he pushed me to the couch softly.

"You want to talk about it? People tell me I'm a good listener." He seemed sincere, kneeling in front of me and pushing strands of hair from my eyes. I shook my head no, only wanting him to disappear. "Whoever that boy is, the one you sneak off to see every night, I know he's the one making you cry. For that, he isn't near to deserving you."

Goldstein said nothing else as he slipped away into the boy's dormitories.


	16. Fortune's Fool

**I never thought a heavily annotated lit class book would come so in handy :D Sorry for anyone out there who doesn't care for Shakespeare, I'm trying to limit it but the material I have to work with is just too good :D **

**Chapter 16: Fortune's Fool**

"About time you got here. I've been keeping Beauxbaton girls away from your set for twenty minutes." Luna smiled lightly, untangling a lock of her hair as the French brats looked on with disgust.

"Sorry, I was finishing up my transfiguration essay." She looked at me carefully, knowing that I would never complete an assignment three days early. In truth, I was simply avoiding come down here. Saving me from further explanation, the food appeared on the center serving dishes and shouts filled the hall as people raced for their favorites.

I felt a familiar light touch on the back of my shoulders, turning around out of surprise to see Cedric take his seat behind me at his table. Without thought I scanned down the Hufflepuff table, noticing multiple places left to sit. He led his friends to their usual spot, right by me. I waited for a mere moment, listening for the sound of his soft voice as he spoke words to his friends that were actually small statements to make me smile. Yet their conversation was hollow, nothing catching in my ears.

A small touch meant he had forgiven me, but he watched his tongue knowing I had yet to do the same.

"Are you zee the girl named Chelzee?" I focused back on our own table, my eyes meeting a Beauxbatons girl sitting across from Luna and I. Her accent was thick, making her words hard to understand.

"Yeah. I am." I ignored her mostly; the Beauxbatons girls were quite foolish in my own mind.

"Sum gurlz tell mee you are dating zat boy." I followed her finger down the table to see it point directly at Goldstein.

"Merlin's beard, no. We are not dating." I spoke slowly and carefully, making sure she could understand each word perfectly in her terrible English.

"Zo den you no mind if I zalk to him?" I laughed once before waving my hand to get rid of her attention. She only took a second before standing and skipping down the table to sit beside him. It was only curiosity, and nothing more, that possessed me to watch out of the corner of my eye. He shook his head once before slapping away her hand. It only took a moment for the girl to walk away fuming.

Luna continued chattering idly as I picked at my food slowly, pummeling each bite with my fork. People around the hall were barely touching food, only waiting for plates to clear. Everyone, but me, wanted to know who were the Champions.

The food disappeared suddenly, loud cheers bursting through the almost silence of the hall. I heard Dumbledore mumble that it would take one more minute and students turned to watch their watches, counting down the seconds.

The hall lights went out, leaving only a few candles burning in the carved pumpkins. My eyes were fixated on the Goblet as it shone brighter then ever before. As suddenly as the lights were gone, the Goblet turned a deep red, sparks flying and a large column of flame sprang upwards. A single piece of paper fluttered towards Dumbledore who grabbed it and read a single name, "Viktor Krum!"

Cheers erupted throughout the hall as the Quidditch player stood to walk down into the Trophy room. A moment later the Goblet was red once more and Fleur Delacour followed Krum.

As soon as she disappeared, the hall grew silent, every student waiting to hear what we had really been waiting for. It was more then representing a school for us, it was a competition of houses no matter how Dumbledore tried to frame it.

The Goblet turned red, warming up much slower then the others. Absentmindly I crossed my fingers for luck, no matter that I spent the night before awake vowing not to care anymore. I still didn't want him in.

The flames shot into the air, a tiny piece of parchment jumping out. Dumbledore caught it in a moment and took no time to read out the name. "Cedric Diggory."

Someone might as well have punched me in the gut so much I couldn't move. The Hufflepuffs jumped to their feet, clapping and cheering up a storm.

"I am Fortune's fool." The words were a soft whisper as he rose from the bench, confidently turning to face the front of the room. His eyes met mine for a second, just enough for him to whisper the words once more. "I am Fortune's fool."

To anyone else, they were words of nonsense, yet to me it meant the world. Romeo killed Tybalt, the one thing he desired happened and sent him away. Now, as my Cedric walked to the trophy room with all eyes on him, he knew he was banished too.

He laughed loudly as Hufflepuffs cheered him on, smiling as wide as possible and bowing once or twice. A fourth year began blowing him kisses, and he blew one right back. Only I could see the terror growing in his eyes, and the gleam of pride when he looked upon the Goblet.

My eyes bore into his back as he walked away from me, trying to tell myself it was all real. Cedric walked quickly, disappearing from sight but the cheers continued. Dumbledore waved his hands to quiet the room and began to speak, but a glow from behind him caught my eye, and the rest of the student body, a red glow.

Again, sparks flew and a column of flame reached for the ceiling expelling a small note. Dumbledore caught it, reading whatever it said for a moment taken it in as his eyes grew wide. "Harry Potter."

For a moment the hall was silent before heads turned towards the Gryffindor table. The boy was frozen, and Dumbledore called his name once more as Granger gave him a slight push. Dumbledore didn't smile as he gestured towards the door to the Trophy room. As the door closed behind him, the hall began to scream in protest. No one understood anything except Ginny, who was staring wide eyed at her plate and wet in the eyes.

Then I realized one thing too.

Both the men we weren't supposed to love, both perhaps lost to us now for a long, long time. To us, Harry and Cedric were no different, and together we would keep them safe and alive. This was the price we would have to pay for love, love being rough with us. He was forgiven; that's the last thought I can call coherent before I slipped away from the Great hall.


	17. Kiss Me

**Chapter 17: Kiss Me**

I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my eyes as I sat, curled up against the wall, in our alcove. I breathed heavily, trying to wipe the water from my eyes. The tapestry pulled back slowly, and Cedric entered cautiously.

"I didn't think you would be here." His voice was soft as he sat beside me, taking one of my hands in his. "I was such a fool. I don't know if I am blessed or cursed. All of the Hufflepuffs were ecstatic in the Common Room tonight but I could barely look them in the eye because what if I fail. They all trust me to win for Hogwarts, and I barely know why I entered. I was so sure, so…I don't have enough breath to say more."

"How art thou out of breath when thou hast breath to say to me that thou art out of breath?" The line rolled from my tongue as my eyes dried while they gazed into his.

"You are getting much better at our game, my sweet." He pulled me tight against him and for a moment everything in the world felt right. But it wasn't.

"You must figure out the first task, Cedric. If you know what it is going in to it, then you have a chance." I couldn't stop my tears; no matter how hard I tried.

"I already have a chance, love. The Beauxbatons girl is just a pretty face, and Krum only knows how to play Quidditch. I've looked into past tasks; it's all about being handy with charms. I'll be alright." He kissed the top of my head, rubbing my hand softly and speaking in slow whispers.

"You didn't mention Potter."

"He's just a boy. He's no threat to me."

"Cedric! He's the bloody boy who lived! At least count him as serious competition. No doubt Granger will be helping him as much as she can, and probably Dumbledore too. All the teachers are going to feel sorry for him and help him."

"Not your dad, I reckon. He'd be the one happy to help me if it meant beating Potter." I started to laugh, imagining Cedric walking towards my father and asking for help in the tournament. I couldn't picture the results.

"I dare you to try it. Then I can tell him about us at the same time." I whipped my head around to look him straight in the eyes.

"Don't you dare Cedric Diggory! You might be a Champion now but if we do something stupid then everyone will constantly be watching us. If my father gets angry, he'll make sure I'm never able to speak to you again!"

"Maybe I'll just ask him for help at least. Wouldn't hurt tonal least warm him up to me. Once I win, my love, this won't be a secret anymore." I smiled sweetly, just enjoying the feel of his strong chest and his light breath on my neck. "When my parents come for the first task I want you to meet my mother. She should know the face that helps me achieve my high marks in potions.

I nodded, shutting my eyes to take in the peace of it all. "Do you really think things can change now?"

"Would you like that, angel?" He ran a thumb down my neck, following it with sweet kisses.

"Very much." I laughed as he pressed his lips harder against my neck, slowly moving down until he was brushing the edges of my shirt, past the few buttons I had left undone.

"Tell me you want me as much as I want you. Don't tell me to stop." I froze as his fingers undid the next button, his kisses getting lower. "Chelsea...give me permission." Thoughts raced through my head I couldn't control. I was only thirteen...and I didn't know how far he was planning to go.

"Kiss me and nothing more." I pulled back for a moment, giving him time to regain himself as we watched each other slowly. Then, before I could realize his plan, his hurdled forward, pressing his lips strongly against mine, pushing with all his force as his hands rested on the small of my back.

"Soon, we won't have to be in this musty room and I'll parade you around like the prize you are, let everyone see that this pretty face is mine."

"And I will welcome it." He held me still for a moment, before showing my face with kisses once more, lacing his fingers through my own and twisting a lock of ebony hair around them.

Then he broke of suddenly. "Chelsea, I need your help with a potions essay if you wouldn't mind. Even though the drawing was tonight, your father still won't accept it late." I sighed, longing for the embraces again.

"Alright, but I'm tired and can't think straight. Can't we do it in the morning?" I stifled back a yawn, reaching for my sweater slowly.

"When? We'll never have a chance to meet back here with everyone rushing around before breakfast."

"Then I'll sleep here, we've brought in enough pillows to make it comfortable." He smiled once, laying a hand to rest on my head.

"Very well, Juliet, I will lie here with thee tonight." And he wrapped his arms around me as I fell asleep with my head against his chest.

**Oh updates, why are you so infrequent? I know, I'm really sorry but I have this and a Hunger Games fan fiction going right now, plus my original novels and my imagination is a bit stretched Will keep working hard for you guys though! P.S: Reviews are the best cure for writers block **


	18. Romanclaws

**I apologize in advance for typos and such. This chapter was typed on my phone so I usually make a bunch of mistakes I don't catch. Otherwise, Enjoy! **

**Chapter 18: Romanclaws**

Our house should rise to support a single champion from Hogwarts and it must be Cedric Diggory!" The fifth year Prefect, Sarah Calvern, shouted loudly from his place in front of the fire. "We are a house known for intelligence, so tell me; can anyone think of an intelligent solution to the puzzle of how Harry Potter got his name in that cup in any honorable way?"

"Aging potion? Maybe he had a different kind than the Weasley twins? Professor Snape said himself many potions had different varieties and it's near impossible to work against all forms in any common potion." the seventh year sat back down to flip through her potions textbook looking for an answer. I knew she would find nothing.

"Snape! That logic make any sense to you?" I snapped into full attention as I heard one of the prefects call my name. Like the others, I rose to speak.

"Not necessarily. An aging potion's main ingredient is saffron leaves mixed with ruby extract. There possibility couldn't be a variety without ruby, and since that is a precious stone I'm sure my father and Dumbledore could easily find a counter element. The ones that are difficult to counterattack would be anything with a base of plant or animal, something that changes through it's life so the counter attack would have tom protect against all forms." The prefect thought in silence for a minute.

"Can you think of a potion that would have those qualities and get Potter past the age line?" I shook my head no and he motioned for me to sit once more.

"What of a charm?" The Patil girl stood. "My sister is in Potters house and I've had classes with him. He has no talent for potions to be sure, yet there are the rumors he produced a patronus last year. If he did anything it was a charm."

"He can make a patronus? Bloody hell how he got his name in the cup, I vote we through our support to him. Sounds talented with a wand." The first year, William, didn't stand and I could tell it was enough for the prefects to ignore his comment. But I couldn't.

"Cedric can do any charm!" I hadn't meant to blurt out, and stand out of habit but I did.

"And how would you know that?" Cho rose to her feet opposite me and we watched each other coolly.

"Chang's question is fair. Snape, what do you know of Diggory's talents?" Some would think after seven years the prefects would get tired of these debates, yet they only encouraged them.

"He has tutored me in charms."

"Simply out of the kindness in his heart?" Sarah raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of question is that?" William spoke the words I was thinking faster than I could.

"A valid one. We must know if he is the kind of champion that is selfish, or entirely serving others. It will impact our decision."

I didn't want to embarrass him, but I was out of luck. "I tutor him in potions." A loud cheer went up in the common room, a few raises their hands to give me a high five as I returned to my seat.

The moment I sat however, Luna stood. "Have we not considered that someone put his name in for him?" At her words, the common room grew silent, staring in disbelief.

"But who would do that?"

"Someone who doesn't like him maybe. Someone who would want to see Harry Potter hurt." Luna just smiled simply, watching those around her.

"Slytherins! I blame the Slytherins!" I didn't know the first year's name, just that she started the worse part of house debates this early in the year.

"We do not blame anyone without just evidence, that is not the way of this body." A large amount of the older students let out a collective moan and I joined right in.

"What body is this then? Where are the guidelines we run by?" The girl stood, and just as quickly a pair of second years pulled her back down.

"Our guidelines are in the successful civilizations our house has studied throughout generations." One of the prefects stood to make the speech and I didn't bother paying attention enough ton tell which one it was. "Centuries ago it was decided that the roman practice of hearing out those who wish to speak in a secure environment and passing any resolution by majority vote. Our own English history is based on these principles since Romans came to Britain in the days of King Arthur. We have Parliament and that has been a voice of power alongside the monarch since before the Glorious Revolution, though perhaps it was not heard as much as it is now."

"Then if this is like Parliament, no wonder the English never accomplish anything." The Scottish boy ducked just in time to avoid the pair of pillows flying towards his head. As he raised his hand to throw one back, the common room broke out in loud shouts and flying objects.

"Yep, this is pretty Roman." I laughed at Goldstein's comment on my right. "My favorite is always when some first year reads that the Senate executed Caesar on the Senate steps and then they ask for their rebellion rights. Now, my year our head prefect ended up with a very nice purple hand for a while out of that." I laughed again, knowing very well he had cast the charm himself.

"Perhaps if you are searching for mischief you could whisper that fact into William's ear over there. He seems like someone to challenge authority. It would be the logical way to start some trouble." I smiled, slowly rebraiding my hair.

"Have you ever seen the show Star Trek? I think it came out in the 60s, though I'm not sure." I shook my head no. "Well, there was this race called Vulcans and the Vulcans had gotten rid of all emotion to only act on logic. That's what these debate sessions remind me of sometimes."

I ducked quickly to avoid a soaring wood log before it burst into feathers. "I think we could use some work on managing our emotion. There hasn't been a session so far this year that hasn't had a break out like this."

Before Goldstein could respond the common room door opened and Flitwick came in, not a single look of surprise on his face. "I should have known there would be a common room council tonight. Carry on." He simply wobbled over to the wall of bookcases and slid one back in place before grabbing another one. No one moved, wands still half raised, ready to cast a charm. "Do you really think I will stop you all? Councils meetings in my time could get a lot worse, but that was also when we tried to elect an entire senate. You may think that having a few representatives from each year is a great ides to keep meeting calm, but no one factored in the fact the entire meeting would be others trying to break in."

"What did you do Professor? Were you on the senate or did you break in?" Williams voice was high above the crowd.

"My boy, I charmed the locks myself so the Senate couldn't get out!" A loud laugh filled the common room as Flitwick made his way back to the door. "Now do try to get some sleep all of you." He left, still hopping between each foot in glee.

"Our Head of House is correct! We must make a decision on which Champion of Hogwarts to support!" Alec Manternby raised his hand for peace throughout the room.

"I call for a vote." Calvern stood quickly, gazing around the room. "The vote will not be Cedric or Potter -at this point since we lack the information to correctly choose the winning side. I propose a vote for either the continuation of this debate tomorrow night, after the Champion interviews, or the postponement of it entirely in which each Ravenclaw is allowed to choose their own Champion to support and we will then have a vote after the first task whether we wish to unify our support or not."

"I second Sarah's motion. All in favor of continuing debate tomorrow night with more evidence!" Mostly the older students raised their hands, the younger ones tiring of debate. I didn't move as Goldstein raised his own. I couldn't afford the chance of not being able to support Cedric. "All in favor of each member of the house supported their own Champion!" Every first and second year, a good amount of the fourth who knew Potter, Luna and I raised our hands along with the rest of the upper years. "Very well. After the first task we will hold a vote as to whether or not we unify our support. This meeting is dismissed."

Students rushed around, some heading upstairs for bed and others rushing to fill the seats they left empty. I slipped from the common room; anxious to get in our secret space to tell Cedric his support from Ravenclaws was safe through the first task. Sessions were supposed to be secret, but this time I broke that promise.


	19. Author's Note

**Authors Note:**

**Hey guys,**

**I know updates are getting kind of sparse but I wanted to let you all know what's going on. I know what I want to do with this after the Triwizard Tournament, but for this section I'm having severe writer's block. Also, starting Nov. 1****st****, I'm doing NaNoWriMo for Young Writers so I'm really going to be focusing on my original fiction novel in the upcoming month. I promise that I'll either update tomorrow night (If my APUSH test gets pushed back to Wednesday like the class is trying to do….so send vibes to my history teacher to be extremely kind and happy tomorrow) or first week in December!**

**Thanks!**

**-BellatrixTonks67**


	20. The First Task

**Hi everyone! Here is an incredibly short chapter but I'm back in the game **

**Chapter 19: The First Task**

As I woke, my eyes found the calendar hanging beside my bed and I wanted to punch something as I read the date. November 24th. It seemed everyone was excited. Everyone but me. I glanced at the clock, somewhat gloating in my success at sleeping until lunch and avoiding the morning. At least not being able to fall asleep for hours had its benefits.

Shouts rang from downstairs, the few who had decided to support Potter still casting lion images from their wands no doubt. The door flew open and I felt Luna's hands drag me from the bed while she murmured on about Potter, just like Ginny.

"Come on, Chelsea! The Great Hall is going crazy with excitement and all the food will be gone before we get there!"

"I'm not going to the hall. I'll meet you at the task." I waved her off, but she didn't move.

"You never come anywhere lately." I just shrugged, digging through my closet for something in Hufflepuff colors to support Cedric.

"Ginny is going to kill you if you aren't cheering for Potter." Though I sensed the scolding, her voice was as light and airy as ever.

In response, mine was far from it. "Well, then I guess I won't see you at the task if you're off sitting in his section!" I wanted to bite back my tongue to stop it but I didn't. My trunk slammed shut and I glared at the blond babble head. My mood was growing south by the minute and I didn't care to check it.

People were rushing about as I exited the dormitory, some running to grab the last bites of food and others hurrying to get first choice seats. I just looked for one single person who I needed to touch one more time.

I found him exactly where he said he'd be waiting for me, under a tree by the Victor's tent. "My Juliet!"

I crossed my arms over my chest and backed from his open embrace. "That's not funny today."

"Oh come on Chelsea," His beaming smile forced me to relent. "Nothing is going to happen to me."

"With dragons?" He hushed me and pulled me behind the tree to cover us from view.

"I shouldn't have told you. Promise me you haven't spent hours fretting over it?" I just stared at him blankly, not willing to make a false promise. "Alright, my little minx. Don't tell me. I have a plan, everything will be fine."

I rested my head on his shoulder, not wanting to ever let go. But he was right, this wasn't going to be the last time. I was a worried child, and nothing more. "And what is this shining plan of yours?" I hoped my smile matched his as I taunted. "Hopefully not a potion."

"Of course not. Just some fancy transfiguration." He laughed, the energy from it reverberating through his body and into mine. "Did you eat?" I shook my head and he handed me an apple from his robes. "You really should learn to wake up on time."

"I didn't exactly want to wake up and acknowledge today."

Cedric just nodded, running his fingers through my hair while I devoured the food. Didn't nerves make girls not want to eat? So why was I ravenous? "Be angry if you will, but it's going to be fine. Will you kiss me tonight when I am well and alive?"

"Perhaps." He dove in for a kiss and I accepted, relishing in his warmth on my lips. A bell sounded in the distance and he stepped back.

"Get a good seat, I don't want you to miss it."

"I will." He turned, solemn expressions washing over his face as the approached the tent. "Cedric, wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast."

**X X X**

The silvery blue dragon jumped from it's caging into the arena and hundreds of students shrieked. They must not have found themselves information as I had. The Swedish Short Snout, that's what Cedric would fight. I tried to recollect any bit of information from the nights studying dragons in our little alcove, but my goal had been to help Cedric remember, not myself.

The dark hair and thick muscles I had known so well for months entered the arena. He walked proud, nodding his head to our large cheering section. Everyone was on their feet shouting. I thought I saw Ginny's bright red hair across the way, in Potter's section, and managing a light clap. I could turn her yet.

Cedric didn't waste a moment, pointing his wand directly at a rock before the dragon even saw him. Over the crowd, I couldn't hear the spell but I saw its work. A golden Labrador began prancing around and Cedric dashed behind a rock. It worked, gloriously as the dog dashed to the other side of the arena and the dragon thought it found its prey.

The cheering volume increased, Cedric dashed towards the egg in the middle. I clutched the rail in front of me. It was all too easy, or did he truly outsmart the task directors?

No, he didn't. He had the egg in hand, but he still had to make it out. Get to the door he came in through. It was cruel. The time ticking for his distraction to fail and hadn't he already won?

It didn't matter. The silence confirmed my fears. I don't know where the dog disappeared to, I had been watching Cedric instead, but the dragon caught on. The dragon realized something was wrong. It's large head turned slowly, eyes directly focusing on where the egg used to be. It didn't even take a second for it to realize its prize was gone.

The fire started, bellowing around the entire arena and I shouted his name. Just his name over and over again. Please, don't let him be hurt. He kept running, dashing behind rocks to avoid the flame.

Then he came out to early, just by a second and the flame hit him. But he didn't stop running. I ripped binoculars from a first year next to me, zooming on his face and screamed. Was the flesh melting away? Or were my eyes playing tricks and it was only a simple burn?

I didn't find out in that moment, he had reached the door and Madame Pomfrey herself rushed right to his aid.

People were moving, trying to get a glimpse of the next dragon as they sedated Cedric's. I just moved away, from the crowd and everything. I had to get to him, I had to see him.

I can't remember the last time I ran that fast. Cedric was burning. He needed me. He needed me. The corridors seemed to vanish as I ran, my body and not my mind controlling direction. Yet, as I approached the hospital wing, I stopped.

Someone beat me, a black head leaning over his bed. She turned for a moment, to answer Madame Pomfrey. Cho Chang. I wanted to push open the door, run in and tell her she had no business being there. That was my spot, the girlfriend spot. By somehow I knew he wouldn't want me to. We were a secret.

Instead I fled to the dorms, tears rushing down my face. Yet as I jumped onto my bed, I heard them announce placing from the arena. Potter and Krum were tied for first, and my Cedric was second.

Second, he burned his face, maybe lost his charming looks forever and all they thought to give him was second.

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